The Laws of Paxia

12. I think I need to sit down

Chapter Twelve

I think I need to sit down

  We found a net. We stumbled upon it on our way to pick up more of the things Peter and Lex gathered yesterday. The net is in very good shape and we are quite far out in the sea in hope of catching fish to feed our tribe.

  Lex, Jessica and Peter are out here with me, the net is quite large so we need a lot of hands to manage it well. Lex is concentrating on scanning the area for threats while the rest of us try to keep the net steady. We can’t bring it back to camp so we must find a place to hide it somewhere.

  I am using the webs to keep my part of the net untangled, while Peter and Jessica are struggling with theirs. I can feel the fish swimming in the water, but very few of them get caught in the net. It’s fun to fish, or is it the fact that we will eat grilled fish for dinner? That thought keeps all of us going.

  It’s nice to be in the water, it’s not as hot out here and I had enough of steamy air lately. The others are also enjoying themselves. We are all soaked and I’m feeling playful and more secure because we are four people out here. The cold water is calming my senses. I need to visit the sea more often.

  “I love fish,” Peter says to us. “My grandfather was a fisherman; he had the most amazing stories to tell.”

  “Then I hope you know what to do with the fish,” I joke back, happy that he knows what he is doing since I’ve never been fishing before.

  “Of course, Peter knows everything and I will make sure you learn how to gut it too.” he winks back at me. The thought isn’t too appalling.

  “This net alone is more than we ever could have asked for,” Jessica smiles. “We have saved salt in the kitchen; I knew it was for a good reason.”

  “Thanks Jessica,” I say and my arms are getting tired after holding the net. “Are we almost done here?”

  Hunger is creeping up on me and I can’t wait to taste the fresh fish we’re catching. I’m always hungry, but it’s harder to deal with when I know that I soon will have a feast to munch on. The others must feel it stronger than me since they have been stuck here for a long time.

  “How much fish did we get?” Lex asks me.

  “Hmm…” I let the webs count them for me. They give me the answer immediately. “Seventy-five. That’s enough for our tribe to eat and for us to carry back.”

  “The coast is clear, be careful with the net as we return back to the shore.” Lex warns us and we start walking the long way back with the net drifting after us.

  The hard bit is to carry the net full of fish out of the water. I see no other choice than to let the others know my power over the webs. I ask Tarih to assist me and Peter and Jessica gasps when the net is taken out of the water by an invisible hand of threads. It’s a sight even for me with the fish jumping around and water dripping everywhere.

  The net is laid carefully on the dirty ground and I speed up to it and start to unload the fish into the basket I brought with me. The others soon follow my lead, too stunned to comment on what just happened. I don’t mind quietness, I just want us out of here before any other tribes comes too close. Lex prepares a good hiding spot for the net while we quickly remove all the slippery fish.

  The walk back feels longer but we all know we must sacrifice the fish and the hard work gathering them if we run into other tribes. We’re all on edge and I really hope the other tribes are raiding the moon trees.

  “So what happened back there?” Jessica finally asks when we are halfway back to camp. The fish is heavy and we are all struggling to carry the weight.