Category : Stories

Sub Category : Thriller

   In a small fishing village, lived a lonely boy who talked to dead fish. His father was always out catching fish and left the boy to sell them. The boy had no friends, very few customers, and was often alone. So he imagined the fish to be his friends. 
  In one particular catch, the boy found an exotic big red fish. It's eyes seemed almost human to him. He became entranced by Big Red and decided this fish would be his best friend.  
 They talked for hours about other worlds, where fish talked, walked and dressed in clothes. They even mingled with humans. It was a paradise for the boy and the best day he had in his entire life. Sadly, like all days, it had to end. 
 Night fell upon the village. The boy barely noticed and had to pack up in the dark. He took what was left of the fish, in a crate, to edge of the docks. This is where the boy had always dump the unsold fish for the scavengers to finish off. The boy picked up Big Red first. Tears formed in the boy's eyes. 
"I wish you were alive. I am so alone. If only you could talk." The boy said. 
 He then closed his eyes and gentle gripped Big Red tighter. He felt the fish begin to move, flopping frantically in his hands. The boy's eyes shot wide open and he looked upon Big Red. The mouth of the fish opened and one word came out...
"Run."
The other fish in the crate then began to flop around, chanting, 
"Run boy, run."
Big Red added, "He is coming for you." 
 The boy confused, dropped Big Red and backed away. Then he felt a hand fall upon his shoulder. Turning around, he found himself looking up at an elderly man. The old man guided the boy back towards the fish and in a sitting position.
"Where are you going, young lad?" The old man asked. 
 His voice carried a tone of something ancient and evil.
"Do I know you, sir?" The boy's voice had trembled. 
The old man laughed, "In that, I am in every shadow and your darkest dreams." 
The fish yelled, "Kill yourself, boy. It is to late for you. You must save the rest of us." 
 The old man sneared at the fish, his eyes glowed a fierce bright yellow. Then he calmed himself and turned his attention back to the boy.
"How about you sell me the fish?" The old man asked. 
 The fish pleaded, "You must take your life. Existence is in your choice." 
 The boy gazed at the fish confused. What was going on? Why did the fish want him to die? Questions filled his head and he tried to shake them loose.  The old man, once again, gripped the boy's shoulder. This time much tighter then before. The boy winced in pain.
"I lay claim to the soul you lost when you brought these fish to life. You will suffer endlessly for that." The old man said. 
 Suddenly, the pain ripped through the boy, dug into his very core, and grew excruciatingly horrible. It seem to pulse in the boy's very being.   The old man continued, 
"Unless, you trade the fish for your soul." 
 The old man let go of the boy's shoulder and the boy dropped to the ground, trembling in the aftershocks of agony.   The old man sat waiting patiently. When the boy finally got control of himself again, he weakly stood and faced the old man.
"You..can have...the fish." The boy barely could speak. 
 The old man grinned, then extended a hand to shake. The boy paused, stared at the wrinkled hand untrustingly and then reluctantly shook it. Just then, the old man, the fish, and even the village vanished. Almost everything ceased to exist. All that was left was an endless void and the thoughts of the boy. Floating endlessly, the boy learned the true meaning of being alone.