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    Thread: New "Story" thread- help needed

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      New "Story" thread- help needed

      I want to try another story thread the way Gallagher did a few years ago and hope that others will have an input, especially Max. This will give us something to do this winter when it s too cold to work with our ponds, fish or plants. If there is no interest, I will stop it, so even if you do not want to continue the story line, let me know your reactions.

      I will start it in the next post, and someone else can post whenever they want to, adding to and continuing the story. Let's have some fun with it, but keep posts n the story line.
      Last edited by matherfish; 11-28-2018 at 03:38 PM.
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      A Summer's Experience

      It was a beautiful day outside as we were nearing the end of May. It was warm as the sun was brightly shining overhead, though the water in the pond still had a little bit of a chill to it. I was excited about spring being here and had brought the leaves on the trees to be starting to bud out and opening, and daffodils had already poked their heads up, bloomed and had all but died back for the summer. Spring at last!
      I raked the remaining leaves from the yard, and from around the pond. There were a few in the pond so I began netting them out with my fishing net. The fish seemed to be watching me clean their world, but did not seem too enthusiastic. "They probably never realize the importance of the cleaning," I thought to myself.
      I began thinking about the day I first got them, and how much they had grown in the last three years. I had built the pond four years ago, and waited a year before I got the koi. The pond had had time to mature and develop during the year it remained without the fish. The fish seemed to love the pond when I first introduced them, and now they seemed content, and probably did not even remember how they felt when first released to their new surroundings. I remembered, however.
      As I was deep in thought thinking of the events of the past, I continued to net leaves, stems and other things that had fallen into the pond. I was making my way around the pond with the net, reaching out to fill the net with unwanted debris, emptying it into a five gallon bucket that I moved along with me.
      As I moved around the pond, looking for leaves and such, I watched the fish, and lost myself in thought. Ahh, spring, and I was outside enjoying it!
      Suddenly, I woke from my thoughts and as if in slow motion I found myself falling. I had tripped over the water hose that I had used a few minutes earlier to top off the pond and to rinse the "winter" off of the rocks. The splash of cold water hit me as I fell into the pond and my daydreaming came to a screeching stop. I was wet, cold and being pulled down by my weight, and seemed to be going head first.
      I was now very awake, and tried to stand, as the pond was only three foot deep. Instead of standing, I could not touch bottom and continued flopping in the water as a fish would out of water. There was no bottom to be found, but there was a current or what felt to be an undertow pulling me sideways, yet deeper into the cold water. Strange, I was not gasping for breath under the water, but I was trying to get my footing. This was no longer a three foot deep pond!
      Last edited by matherfish; 11-28-2018 at 03:48 PM.
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      Not knowing what was going on, nor understanding it, I continued to thrash in the water. I could feel myself being pulled into what felt to be a vacuum, and I could see and feel the streams of water going by me. I also saw bubbles as though from a waterfall, or a large aquarium bubbler. I could not stand, nor could I swim to the top. My attempts were futile as I flailed away at the water that engulfed me. I was not thinking of how long I had been in there, nor was I concerned about drowning. I seemed to be more concerned about standing up and taking hold of the situation. The current was getting stronger. Or was I getting weaker? I fought harder!
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      Hi, Frank, I would love to come out and play, but but but, i've got three books is various stages of completion due between now and March. I will def. peek in and see how your story is going and good for you for taking the plunge.



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      Thanks Max. Add to the story when you can. I know you want to.
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      Being raised in South Florida, I remembered the under currents and rip tides that can occur at the beaches and they pull you out into the ocean if you get caught up in them. It was futile to try and swim back to shore as the current is working against you. You have to swim to one side to get out of the current's pull and then swim back to shore. Was I trapped inside of some strange current? I suddenly remembered that I was not in the ocean, I was in my pond! There would be no current here, other than the minor flow of water from the water fall. Was my mind and thoughts becoming disoriented as I tumbled through the water as clothes tumble in a dryer?
      Determined to keep my sanity, at least to my own satisfaction, I tried to think rational thoughts. Maybe in my fall I had hit my head and was just imagining this. Maybe it was just a dream. I thought of Alice in Wonderland and her wild adventure, I thought of the Wizard of Oz and Dorothy's adventure as well. Yes, I must be dreaming or hallucinating. There was a reasonable explanation. I just did not know what it was, as yet.
      Rational thoughts! That is what I need. So I continued to search for logic. I could not possibly be under water this long. I would have drowned by now. Sane thinking would declare that. In dreams, there is no time. My thoughts dwelt on that for a few, wait, I can't say seconds or minutes, as time seems to have stopped. This is a dream of some kind, so I must stop thinking in reference to time. It does seem, however, that I have been under the water for a period of time that in the real world a person would have drowned.
      A "panic" thought hit me. Am I drowning and do not realize it? While lost in thought have I stopped trying to reach the bottom and stand up? "Remain calm," I told myself. "Think rationally." I was consoling myself in my reasoning. "Go back to rational thinking," I thought.
      Flailing again at the water, I tried to reach something that might be firm. Anything solid that I could grasp hold of or stand on. Nothing! I felt nothing but water!
      Last edited by matherfish; 11-29-2018 at 10:59 AM.
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      But soon I began to relax, and a strange quiet settled upon me. I saw a orange flash beside me, was it ... yes it was, the very koi I introduced into the pond those few years ago, and she seemed to be beckoning to me now to follow her as she swam slowly away.

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      The flash of orange was my koi! I watched as it seemed to be going with me in the current, but then it swam away. Why could the fish avoid the current when I could not? The fish seemed to be much larger than what i had put into the pond, however. Was it several fish schooling together and the moving water currents making it look like a single fish? I wasn't sure, but for some reason I felt small. a sense of fear came over me and I felt my body shudder. The quiet did not last long. The koi had caught my attention, and diverted my thoughts, but now I had even more thoughts and questions filling my head.
      As I still was attempting to rationalize the sighting, I felt a great thrust of water that pushed me forward much more rapidly. it was as though i was being shot out of a water cannon, with great force propelling me into the deeper water. How much further could it be to the bottom, or to the end of the pond? I still was reaching out, attempting to find something solid. Was this water flow disorienting me causing me to believe I was traveling through the water, when in reality I was not moving, but the water's movement made me feel a if I was being jettisoned deeper and further? So many questions filled my head, and yet no solid answers. I tried to look around me for answers, or maybe I just wanted to see the koi again. I eased somewhat, at that thought. if I could see the fish i would find something i which I could put confidence. They were something real.
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      The thrust of the water had started suddenly and violently. And just as quickly as it had started, it ceased. I was now drifting out of the current entirely as the force waned and I only felt a slight movement of the water. The bubbles had also diminished greatly, and again I tried to stand.
      Stretching my legs and feet towards where I thought should be the ground, I extend my body to its fullest extent. I had become disoriented through my tumbling in the current that I wasn't sure which way was up or down. I stretched toward what must have been down as it was the direction I seem to be dropping to now that there was no water flow to carry me.
      My foot felt something! It was not solid but it was more than water or liquid. My toes slid down within it and i realized it must be muck in the bottom of the pond. It was like a very wet mud. How could this be? I had just cleaned the pond and got out all of the muck. My feet were continuing to go down into the mud and had not touch anything solid. Another thought struck me. If my feet got down into the semi-solid muck, would I be able to get out? Another shaking of my body as fear started to overwhelm me. It could act as quicksand, sucking me into it, and I would be buried alive in mud.
      I was busy trying to hit a solid bottom and thinking about being sucked into the mud that I had forgotten to try to also stand up. I reached up, arms above my head as though reaching for the sky, but my hands found no escape from the water. Fully extended, I was still completely below the water, and not on a firm foundation. Unless I have shrunken to the size of a small figure the size of the plastic toy soldiers that I had played with as a child, this was not my pond. I was also alive under water and realized I was not breathing. "Was I dead? Had I hit my head n my fall, and this was what it was like to be dead or drowned?"
      I couldn't be dead! I was thinking, feeling, seeing, touching, moving my arms, hands, legs, feet! I mentally pictured my wife finding my body floating in the pond. That could not happen! I am not floating, and I am not on top of the water. "How long would I be buried in the bottom before I would be found?" I shook off the thoughts as I remembered, I am not dead. There must be a logical explanation, but dead is not it. i returned to concentrating on my environment. The bubbles were gone, and the water was very still.
      The koi were within sight.
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      For the first time since falling into the pond I could see my surroundings. It was strange to be able to see my pond and fish from under the water like this. I was seeing things from a "fishes view." I was filled with amazement as I looked around, and then realized my feet were on something solid. The muck seemed to be about a foot deep, coming up about half way to my knees. I could lift them to walk, but not easily.
      The koi were swimming around almost like I wasn't there. As I watched, I realized these were not my koi. These were much larger than mine. The color patterns were also different, but since they were much bigger than mine, I wondered if they had grown and their colors and patterns had changed. Had I been hurled into the future?
      Watching the koi I decided that they were not mine. This could not be my pond in the future as it was much deeper than mine. After all, I was standing up and the water was well over my head, so much so that I could not reach it. I had not tried to swim, I thought. and so I slid off my tennis shoes, and tried to swim upward. No luck. It seemed that the harder I tried to swim, I was not going anywhere. I could see the fish swimming, but I could not. I felt back down in the muck to find my shoes and managed to move them around in the water to get the muck out of them, and put them back on my feet. It was not an easy task, but the water being still and not having any current helped some. Standing on one leg to put on a wet tennis shoe while in the water is not easy no matter how coordinated you are and I certainly am not overly coordinated. I thought I needed them on however because i did not know what might be in this newly accumulated muck.
      Again, my attention turned to the koi, as they were really all that I could see from my present location, other than the muck, which just looked like muck.
      Last edited by matherfish; 12-04-2018 at 10:38 AM.
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      The koi were swimming non challantly in and out of my sight. Though not as big, they reminded me of sharks that I had seen swimming in and out of the divers in cages on animal shows. These graceful animals swam gracefully and unbothered by my presence in their realm. “Such beauty,” I thought.
      My thoughts were interrupted from the tranquility of the water. One of the koi was swimming at me with great speed and agility. He was heading towards me with determination, but, though I saw him moving quickly, he did not seem to be getting closer in a hurry. Instead of appearing closer he seemed to be increasing in his body size! He was getting larger by the second. He had been further away than the water had made him appear! He was coming at me with every swish of his tail. As he neared, I could see his distorted face, and it no longer resembled a koi. I was in the direct path of danger.
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      Just as the fish arrived in front of me I fell backward in an attempt to avoid his hitting me. I landed in the muck on my backside, and managed to see the fish turning to come back. It had barely missed me the first time, but now as i sat in the mud I would not be able to dodge it again. The fish was on his way, and this time i could see his mouth was open and filled with teeth. I tried to move but couldn't.
      As the fish careened it's body towards me, I felt myself being lifted up out of the murky bottom that had held me. I was raised up just as the fish went under me, and this time i saw the fish. It was at least 30 or 40 pounds with rows of gills that appeared to be covered with feathers. His fins were shining as though they were made of metal, and looked as sharp as knives. "Were the other fish like that one when you see them up close?" I wondered.
      But I had been lifted up by something. And that something was continuing to hold me up. I was being put down and could see my rescuer but could not tell what it was. As I looked in bewilderment, the "thing" spoke to me. "You are safe now. at least for the moment." It looked like a giant leaf, but the shape was strange. I had seen the leaf, or something like it, before, but could not recognize it. The leaf seemed to be bending down to set me down.
      "Thank you," I muttered, still confused, No pond has a talking plant, leaf or whatever. The "leaf" then said, "Be careful in your journey. There is much to see and fear." I stood in awe as i looked at the leaf, and then I realized that it was a sandwich man worm within the leaf. "See what? Fear what?", I replied back to the worm. My confusion was getting even greater. And I was talking to a worm. A giant worm, no less. I looked back at the water as I thought of my situation. The fish were gone, and looking around, so was the worm.
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      Maybe it was the clearing of the water, or maybe just that my eyes were adjusting to their surroundings, but things now seemed even clearer than before. It appeared that not far away there were pots with water lilies in them. I had never looked at the plants and pots from beneath the water's surface before, but I knew that that was what was in front of me. I say they were not far away because I no longer could trust my distance perception after my meeting with the koi looking creature. I stood amazed as I looked at the plants, and bug-eyed, I did not move.
      The lilies were darker under the water than what i saw from on the top of the water. I thought about the size of the worm which was bigger than a man. it was wrapped in a part of leaf from one of the lily pads, so you can imagine the size of these plants. They appeared to be the size of oak trees from where i stood, but their pd were so much bigger than oak leaves. There was what appeared to be something like dust covering their stems, clinging to tiny hair looking strands. The dust consisted of huge fuzz ball spheres as I focused in on them, and the hairs looked like pieces of rope. The plants looked dirty, even though they were in clear water.
      I raised my foot to attempt once again to move.
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      I was amazed with how much ease my foot moved. I easily raised it and put it down again. Seeing the depth of mud above my ankle I was anxious to try it again, but this time I wanted to actually take a step, not just lift my foot. Prepared to fail, I took a step cautiously. A big grin came cross my face. The step came easy, and then another, and another. Within a few minutes I was much closer to the lilies. They looked enormous.
      A memory returned to my mind. I remembered the strange koi which had come at me, and the others that I had seen in the distance. They were not in sight, but they could be anywhere hiding behind these plants. I took a quick look around. From what I could see from where I stood, there was no place to hide. No place for my safety. The giant worm also had gone off out of sight. I had watched these worms in my pond, wrapped in their leaf disguise, go across the water's surface. and wondered how they did it. Now, with one so much bigger, and from a different viewpoint, I might find the answer through personal observation. "It had saved me once, would it be there the next time I was in trouble?" That was a question that seemed to stream through my mind.
      I edged closer to the nearest lilies. i raised my hand to touch it and realized the leaf pad was the size of a Cadillac hood. As my hand pressed toward the leaf, the motion gently pushed the leaf away. I did not put much pressure against the surface, but the huge pad seemed to move back out of the way. What little I had contact with it, it seemed to be sort of rough, a little like sandpaper, but dirty. I instinctively moved my hand down and "wiped" my hand off on my pants.
      My exploration of this strange, wet world was going to take some time, as there was much to learn. I knew nothing about this water that I was breathing in and not drowning, nor the creatures and plants that inhabited it. I reached up again to touch the pad, and my result was the same. "Was the plant sensing my hand's movement and avoiding it? Or maybe it was sensing the heat and reacting?" The hair on my arms stood up. "Was it possible that this strange plant could see my hand, and me?" If the worm could talk, could this plant see? My thoughts were racing, as I stood staring, searching for an answer.
      Last edited by matherfish; 12-14-2018 at 01:13 PM.
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      With a "gulp" action in my throat, I moved closer to the plant, keeping my eyes fixated on it. Had these plants "mutated" from the plants I had kept for years? Were these actually forms of the same plants but centuries further advanced, maybe thousand of years in the future? Or perhaps these were prehistoric versions and so were from the past? This time as I moved my hand towards the pad instead of watching my hand and the area to the left in front of it, I watched the stem for movement.
      "Did I see what I think I saw? I said to myself. Before my hand had touched the leaf I thought I detected slight movement in the stem. I stopped my hand just short of the leaf is an instant. slowly i withdrew my hand and brought it to my side. Before I try it gain, I needed to think about what had happened. I also went pouring through my mind as to what I knew about plants, water lilies especially. As I was thinking, I subconsciously raised my hand as i had before and reached out t the plant. The stem again seemed to move. This time i was watching the movement more closely and it appeared as though it was shriveling up some. When it did, the leaf also moved somewhat. It was contracting to avoid my touch, or to prepare for it!
      This movement was one i knew to be in humans and animals, but was it true in plants as well? We call the act "to shy away from" when someone avoids our touch or an animal cowers down from our touch to avoid our touch. Was this true of these lilies also? I thought about how that when a lily is moved into deeper water that the stems will expand over the night and elongate to reach the surface. Were they able to contract as well to avoid being touched? Were they seeing me, or sensing me and were able to attempt to avoid me?
      Last edited by matherfish; 12-15-2018 at 05:25 PM.
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      The plants were in huge pots of soil, but it seemed that the were moving ever so slowly closer to me. I was busy looking at the shriveling stem and had not paid attention, but as I glanced around I would almost guarantee that they were closer. I reached out to touch another leaf, and again noticed the stem holding that leaf shriveled. "Amazing," I thought. But my attention had turned to where it now primarily centered, on my tingling sensation that the plants were closer to me.
      I remember that my perception in this "pond." Now I was not even sure if it was a pond, much less my pond. Maybe it was my lack of perception that made me question how close the plants were. But they seemed to be much closer than what I remembered when I had moved towards them.
      I looked for pot movement marks in the muck, similar to what I would see in the pond at the house when I would drag a pot. The muck was uneven throughout the area where I could see, but, because of the depth of the mud, it was impossible to tell. I looked down at the mud, and no telltale signs. Maybe my imagination was going wild.
      I also became cognizant of another aspect of my surroundings. It was getting darker and a little harder to see. Maybe that was the cause of my perception problem. I looked up towards the sun and discovered that it was not the sun going down, but the lily pads were closer together, shading where I was standing. I dismissed the movement of the leaves as being the result of fish feeding somewhere and knocking the leaves around. The results were that I am more shaded than I was. I turned my attention back to the shriveling stems, and looked back down to my side.
      Something moved.
      Last edited by matherfish; 12-15-2018 at 06:17 PM.
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      There was no doubt about it, this time I saw definite movement from the plant. The plants had slowly moved to where they were slowly surrounding me in a semi-circle. They were moving towards me visibly. It seemed to be growing even darker and i looked up toward the pads above my head and they were moving closer together, deliberately. As I looked t them I could almost swear that they were looking like hands starting to reach down towards me. I gasped as I realized it was the pads that had made the sudden movement that I had noticed. Although they were moving so slowly that it was almost undetectable, it was obvious they could move faster.
      I took a step backward, ever so carefully. As i did, I sensed something behind me and with a quick glimpse behind me I realized there were now plants behind me as well. I felt surrounded, with narrow passages between the plants, but those passages were thinning. The leaf ceilings were coming closer.
      Unsure of what to do, I had to do something in a hurry. I did not know what would happen if i stayed where i was, but I did not want to wait and find out. I looked and saw a place that appeared to be the widest opening between the plants and would head for it. I noticed that the plants had grown roots over the sides of the pots. So that is how they moved!
      I ducked my head and began to run towards the opening.
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    18. #18
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      I felt pressure against my right side as I slid between the pots holding the plants. Then I felt my left side being brushed, and then pressure against it. I took my hands and push against the stems, prying the stems apart as much as I could. I got my hips through but the pads above me were dropping around me. I felt as though I was caught up in a fisherman's net, as the pads were drawing in around my feet. What kind of plant could this be? No lily that I had ever owned or even heard of had behaved this way. I thought about the carnivorous plants that I had seen and owned. Was this some kind of a cross between two different species, a strange ISG?
      There was no time to ponder the rarity of the plant, or it's origin. I had to get out of here, but how? I tried pushing it apart with my hands and even my feet, using my arms and legs for leverage. I could not pry the leaves open nor could I spread it's massive leaves. I was rapidly tiring as well.
      I then remembered the sandwich man worm. It had eaten a piece of a leaf in order to form a "house" or shelter in which to hide himself. There was not much room anymore within my vegetative cocoon, and it was pretty dark and hard to see, but I tried to look around for an answer. The area around my feet was easier to see, as there was some sunlight coming in around the bottom of the leaves. I could not see anything to use as a tool or weapon but I squatted down anyway. I began pushing my hands in the the muck, spreading my fingers and wiggling them as i tried to feel for something in the mud. There was nothing!
      Panic was settling in as I realized I was about to be crushed by a plant, much like a prey would be crushed by a boa constrictor. I was going to die in a pond that I had no idea of its location, nor did anyone know I had fallen in. Would this plant devour me when it had killed me, or would it merely kill me and allow my body to decay and become an addition to the muck? Ugh! It struck me that others, as well as animals, had perhaps fallen to the same ending that I was facing. Was I standing in the rotten remains of flesh and meat? I choked trying not to puke. I had to get out of here.
      In the few seconds, maybe minutes, that these thoughts ran through my mind, I realized the leaves had drawn closer. I no longer could stoop down and touch the mud. i had to think of another plan. If I had thought of getting down into the mud and crawling out, it was no longer an option. Not sure that I could do that anyway after mentally picturing what might be down in the mud.
      A thought occurred. I took off my belt, and using the buckle and its latch I found a weapon! I held the buckle within my fist with the striker sticking out between my fingers. It did not stick out but about an inch past my fingers but it was all I had. It had to work! I felt like Captain Hook with a hook on my hand as I lashed out towards my captor. The leaf was tearing apart as flesh would when a knife was welded at it. The leaf was tearing apart, and was also withdrawing.
      For the first time in what seemed like hours, i felt like I was winning! I might survive!
      Last edited by matherfish; 12-20-2018 at 08:19 PM.
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    19. #19
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      As I "knifed" my way through the massive plants I could see the light from the sun shining on the pond's surface. Strange to see the light shining from below the surface. but there it was. I felt myself struggling free and out of my cocoon, much like a butterfly must feel.
      As I pushed out of the pads, I realized that there were more plants in the area. I looked for what would be called the "clearing" on land, and headed for it as quickly as i could go. I wanted no part of being the focus of a "cocooning" again. I did not know what was ahead of me, but I know i wanted no more of that which was behind me. I did not look back, but instead, pushed on. The sun continued to shine ahead, so maybe there were no more plants ahead.
      The mud did not seem as deep surrounding my feet. I looked down and realized that the mud barely covered the soles of my shoes. Strange, but although I was wearing tennis shoes my feet did not feel wet, nor did my shoes. Another strange fact that I had to consider as I again took a moment to try to make sense of this weird place. I had slowed down my pace as I continued ahead, away from the plants, and deep in thought.
      The tranquility did not last long, however. From my left side I caught the movement of something coming towards me. The "koi" were back!
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    20. #20
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      The koi were closing quickly and within a matter of seconds were in front of me. They began circling me with the biggest one leading the way. It was obvious that it was the leader. This fish was the size of a horse! Stunning colors shinning in the sunlight drew my attention for a few seconds. Then I remembered that the fish were not showing off their colors, but were circling me. Then, within a flash, coming from behind me was a huge koi that swam between my legs and picked me up upon it's back. I was riding this huge koi, not the leader, but one of the others which was almost as big! The other fish fell in line, some beside me on either side. Others were behind us, with the "leader" in front. We were schooling!
      As I rode on the fish, I would start to fall to one side or the other. Occasionally I would start to fall backwards. After all, there was no saddle nor reins to hold on to. Each time I started to fall, one of the other fish would brush up against me and push me back up, steadying me. We were traveling at an easy pace, not like the rush with which they came at me. There was obviously a plan or purpose in their minds, and I had no say. We moved with purpose and destination.
      Off to my right I could see the lily plants. Were they taking me back to the lilies to again be imprisoned? Were these fish the captors for the plants? Were they all angry over my tearing the plant leaf and maybe injuring it in my effort to escape? As I thought these thoughts I now noticed we were passing by the plants and continuing on. I felt a sense of relief, and noticed that my muscles had been extremely tensed up and had loosened up. Well, maybe not completely.
      Ahead of us, now coming into view was a stone wall that went as high up as i could see. It looked like the side of a granite mountain, massive and solid. We were heading straight towards it. Were the fish going to commit suicide and run head on into it, or maybe stop suddenly and throw me head first into it? i leaned over and tried to hang onto the koi beneath me with my arms and legs grasping as best I could. The dorsal fin was behind me so I could not hold to it. I was clinging frantically. It was then that I noticed the opening in the rock.
      The shadows on the ragged stones had hidden a large opening in the rocks, forming a cave, and that was to be our destination. I wanted off of the fish, but each time I tried, the fish surrounding me would not let me. The lilies had tried to imprison me within their leaves, were the koi imprisoning me in a stone cell?
      We entered the cave, as other koi were coming out.
      Last edited by matherfish; 12-27-2018 at 12:50 PM.
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