​My fish

The solitary figure walked along the beach, the wind throwing her hair like tendrils of manic smoke. Gazing out to sea she longed for adventure, but even more so for someone to share this life and laugh with shared joy. She waded through the shallows and jumped between the rock pools, when she came upon the most interesting creature. A beautiful yet scarred fish with uncomfortably familiar eyes. Upon seeing her, the fish rose to surface and met her inquisitive stare. “Hail witch. Doth thou know me?” Startled by speech, but fascinated by the irregularity, she answered. “I don’t think so, but I feel that I might” Rising from the pool the fish shifted to the shape of a man roughly her own age and his speech changed to match her own. “I am a myth personified” he replied, “a romantic notion made real, but not without flaws, as I am a chirality of you” “Would you accompany me?” she enquired tentatively. And he did. They travelled together for a short while, telling tales, becoming increasingly familiar with each other as time drifted by, before he returned to the sea with the setting sun. The following day the woman returned to the same stretch of coastline, hoping to meet the peculiar fish once more. Again, in the pools amongst the rocks she spied the fish with the familiar scarring. “Hail witch” he smiled, rising from the water. “We meet again. Although I admit I came here expecting your return” Smiling she invited him to accompany her again. They walked, talked, laughed and she daydreamed of possibilities. A few days later, he returned to the sea with the setting sun. The next morning she woke with birds and the sunrise. Savouring her cup of tea on the balcony overlooking the garden the woman wrestled with her internal dialogue. Was she too needy? Was she too much? Would her new friend be scared off if he knew her depths? Eventually she decided to return to the rock pools to see if her new friend was waiting. Searching amongst the pools she discovered, to her sadness that her fish was not there. Maybe tomorrow she thought and continued along the beach. Each day she returned too the beach and with each day her fish was not there, she got a little sadder and a little grumpier. After a week or so she was surprised to discover that her interesting fish with the familiar scars had returned. She scowled for a few moments then smiled, reflecting on their past meetings. “Hail friend” her fish said, as he shifted to man form. “I am revived” Together they journied, chattering and smiling. She held his hand. “I would really like you to stay longer” the woman proffered tentatively. The scarred man smiled sadly. “Of course I can stay longer. Do you not wish to have time alone?” Her eyes lit up as she said, “I love having someone around. I love walking and holding hands and chattering and drinking cups of tea. I miss you when you’re not here” “Do you not want me to revive in the sea?” the man said. “Out of all of the fish in the sea, You are My fish. Please stay” she wished. “You know I will not survive if I don’t keep returning to the sea?” he reminded her, sadness exhaling with his breath. “I know” she said.