The Fish and the Riverman (Mchanzo fanfiction)

The Deep Blue

McCree was breathing rapidly. He looked into the tangled net to see what appeared to be a man with long silky wet hair staring back at him in fear. Instead of legs he had a deep blue tale covered in scales and webbed fins. The creature gritted his teeth trying to escape. McCree froze and stared for a long time. The creature had a fixed nose and a cheek bone McCree could slice his finger on. His hair complimented his dark symmetrical beard. His arms and chest were strong. He had a strange blue tattoo on his left arm of a blue dragon. The creature reached into his quiver on his back and pulled out a sort of arrow with a shark tooth for the arrow head and began slicing the rope around him. McCree scrambled to his feet and ran to the edge of the boat.

"W-wait!"

The rope broke and the crearure fell out of the net and into the water below. McCree ran looking over the edge of the boat. Water splashed into his face. The splashing stopped and the creature was gone.

----------

"What the hell happened to my net, McCree?"

McCree looked distracted, but he finally turned to Jacob.

"I-I was cutting some seaweed off and I accidentally clipped the net." Jesse lied.

Jacob sighed.

"Alright well, I'll get you a new one tomorrow. Here's your pay for the day. Come in at 12 romorrow."

Jacob handed McCree a stack of cash. During his walk home McCree kept his head down and wrestled with his mind. He knew what he saw. Could it really have been a merman? He tried to forget about it, bit it was no use. Jesse had never seen anything so strong and beautiful. This image of a merman kept him up all night, but was awaken to the sound of his phone ringing. He looked at his clock. It was early. McCree answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"McCree? I need you down here. My last man Lucas was injured this morning. You're the only one who can take a boat out. Can you be here in 10?"

McCree sat up.

"Yeah no problem. I'll come right down."

He hung up to change his clothes and headed down to the dock. Jacob looked panicked. He turned to see McCree.

"Jesse, thank god! Lucas was just taken to the hospital."

"What the hell happened?"

"Lucas came back in a panick; started screamin about mermaids. They found a shark tooth wedged in his shoulder, but when he got off the boat he dropped and stopped breathing."

McCree gasped. He remembered the creature he caught having shark toothed weapons. Could he have done this to Lucas?"

"Heh the first fisherman to find a mermaid will become the richest man in the world." Jacob said. "Be safe out there McCree. You sure you don't need a partner?"

McCree chuckled.

"I work better alone."

McCree walked to his boat. Jacob had replaced his net. McCree paused, nervous to take a boat back out. What if he saw something again? He went back out to the island and looked closely into the water before dropping anchor. The gentle roll of the water knocked against his boat. Nothing out of the ordinary...yet. McCree started the lift and cased the net out. He sat in his chair and waited. He shook at the thought of seeing that strange creature again. All if a sudden he heard a splash behind him. McCree quickly turned bouncing out of his chair and looking over the side of the boat. He saw a glimpse of something diving into the water. McCree sighed and took off his hat.