Fishing Part 2

[Living_Hellfire]

Friday, May 23, 17:24hrs Local Time 2025

Jeremy Stanton stood on the shore line in Khalisti Warf, eschewing the dock in the hopes that he would catch something smaller but more delicate. It was a quiet afternoon, edging on dusk as the midges began to float over the water. These rare moments were precious. They allowed him to reflect on the week before returning home to Marjorie for a late supper. She was making bulgogi tonight. Jeremy had no idea what that was, but Marj was growing adventurous with her cooking since their son had left home to college. This was his final weekend with them before returning to NYU.

 

"Howdy, mate!"

 

Jeremy turned to watch a man in a flat black suit, smoking a cigar and wearing a fedora stride down the beach towards the water, not a stone's throw from where he stood, hard-soled leather loafers grinding against the coarse sand. The Man in Black puffed his cigar and reached into his coat pocket, producing a short rod so black it seemed to drink the light. He cocked his neck and stretched his chin while he adjusted his collar with his right hand and flicked his wrist with his left and the little rod extended into a fishing pole with a sharp snap.

 

"Any luck?" Asked The Man in Black as he gazed at his neighbour from behind opaque, burnt-orange shades.

 

"A little." Jeremy replied, raising his voice slightly over the breeze. "A few bites."

 

The other man nodded and cast his line into a cloud of midges.

 

"Ye come here a lot?" His voice carried on the breeze, feeling warm against Jeremy's sweater.

 

Jeremy shrugged, looking back over his line. He watched the man nod out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah, this is my favourite spot."

 

"Ach, that's grand."

 

That warmth again. He reeled his line in, shrugged off his sweater and tucked it into his backpack before taking up his fishing pole once more and casting into  the river.

 

"How're ye called, mate?"

 

"Jeremy."

 

"Name's Fergus. A pleasure tae make yer acquaintance."

 

Jeremy smiled and looked over at the bearded man grinning behind his cigar. A burnt orange light shone against the bottom of his fedora's brim.

 

Fergus nodded before looking back to the water. "Well, Jeremy, it's a fine evenin' fer fishin', aye?"

 

Time passed, as it does. The two men stood on the shore casting and reeling. Jeremy occasionally yawning while the other man smoked.

 

"So, what do ye do, Jeremy?"

 

"Um... I was an accountant. I'm retired now."

 

Fergus nodded.

 

"How about you?"

 

"Oh, I'm a teacher, a helper. Odd jobs, renderin' aid when required, that sortae thing."

 

Jeremy nodded, puzzled. "So, like a handy-man?"

 

Fergus grinned again, chewing the cigar between his molars as he cast his line again. "Aye, summat like that, I reckon."

 

"I have a bathroom that could probably use your services."

 

The Man in Black chuckled. "I reckon I'd be more hindrance than help on that one, mate."

 

Jeremy reeled in his line and reached back to cast before pausing. "You're... " Fergus turned his head. "You're... you know?" Jeremy asked, turning and looking at the other man. "You're him, right?"

 

The Man in Black, fishing pole in one hand, reached up to take the cigar from his mouth with the other as a squad of Sky Raiders roared overhead.

 

"Jeremy."

 

"Yes?"

 

"Cover yer ears, mate, an' crouch."

 

Thunder rolled over Khalisti Warf and lightning struck as The Legendary Living Hellfire took to the skies, leaving a glassy pit in the beach where he had been standing. Jeremy slowly stood up watched the burnt orange streak as it scorched the air, bending through the sky in pursuit of the Sky Raider squad. He gathered up his fishing gear and headed home, never once thinking to put his sweater back on.

 

It turns out bulgogi is delicious.

 

 

Edited Saturday at 01:51 AM by Living_Hellfire