The Lost Princess

Chapter Eleven

"You are really terrible at that," Jakob said as I cast out my fishing line.

"What? I am amazing at this," I said laughing.

Jakob rolled his eyes. "Here. Let me show you," he said as he stood behind me. Jakob helped me recast my fishing line into the water. "See. That's better."

I smiled at Jakob. He looked younger as he smiled back at me. The fishing line started to pull away from me. I quickly grabbed the line, yanking it towards myself.

"Reel it in," Jakob said smiling at me.

I quickly cranked the reel and pulled the fishing line to me. I could feel the line pulling away from me as I pulled the line towards me. I reeled the fishing line in faster. Finally, a fish connected to the fishing line popped out of the water. I smiled as I caught my first fish. The fish flopped around on the line as I pulled it to me.

"You did it," Jakob said smiling at me. Jakob grabbed the fish and unhooked it form the fishing line. I smiled proudly of my victory. Jakob put the fish in our empty basket. I watched the fish flop around, slowly dying. The smile on my face faded as I watched the fish. Jakob placed a small towel over the basket. "It's okay, Ivy. It's just nature. In order for our survival, we have to do this."

"I know. It's just hard to watch," I said.

"It's life," Jakob said. "Come on. We should get back."

"Yes, Aunt Rosalie will start to worry," I said.

"Yup," Jakob said as he reeled his fishing line in.

I took apart my fish rod and line as Jakob reeled his in. Then he took apart his fishing line. We hid the fishing lines and rods in the basket, covering it with the towel. Jakob picked up the basket and we headed back towards town.

We walked quickly at the same pace. I noticed that we were the same height and younger. I was able to keep pace with Jakob easily.

We walked through the town that seemed brighter than it normally did. People were all around the town talking and buying things. No one seemed to worry about anything. The buildings were painted in bright colors still. Small pieces of grass grew up in between the brick road.

Jakob and I turned down an alley with several dumpsters in it. Jakob talked the whole way home about practicing fishing and getting better at it. He said that if we got better at fishing, the new restaurant would be able to sell more fish. I nodded as I barely listened to Jakob talk about fishing and Aunt Rosalie's new restaurant.

"We could fish everyday before we opened," Jakob said.

"Don't you have school every day?"

"Yes, but you don't. You could go," Jakob said. "We just need to get you better at this fishing stuff."

I shook my head knowing that I only went fishing because Jakob wanted to go fishing. There was no way I would be fishing without him.

"And we could spend a couple hours fishing after the restaurant closed for the night," Jakob continued to talk.

I saw something move around the dumpster in front of us. I stopped in the middle of the alley. I froze, staring at the dumpster. Jakob kept walking and talking. Then he turned around staring at me once he realized I wasn't beside him.

"What?" He whispered.

I shook my head, still staring at the dumpster. Something large had moved near the dumpster. I didn't see what it was, but it was half the size of me.