Chapter 1. The Hitman
He walked slowly to give himself time to take in the sites and sounds of what this place had given him.
It was a personal place. A place he has always wanted to attend but, he never would of thought his small batch of family and friends would listen to him. As by harshest traits of being called everything up and down the food chain of rude comments the number 1 thing, that stuck to him was the comment his oldest brother Paul had dropped upon him.
“You wont get any Pussy by going there. What excites You about marine Life anyway?”
Paul was always “the Tough spined bastard” Out of all of his brothers as he was the Soft spine. Quite Literally.
As by him walking he had a slight hunch.
As the hunch wasn’t a Physical deformity but it was due from the many years of the Abuse, he had withstood along with the harshest thing of being The Number 1. “The Number 1” on Arnold Joanen’s Radar. He was the Thorn in his side for many years. Many physical Bruises with Hallmark cards have followed him since they met in the 2nd grade.
Even now, when this surprise had dropped into his lap- “The Hitman” (as he liked to be called) made him remember the occasion of him “Slipping away” from him to enjoy himself.
As Underneath of his Hunched Shirt were the freshest scrapes and deep purple contusions that were centered around his ribs. The Hitman was smart like that he only struck his face when it came to the holidays.
You know? When Family Pictures would happen? Or School Events would have him plastered all over the school paper.
Arnold was cold.
Still, this happy smiling hurt young man that was carrying his wounds inside and out still walked on. Listening to the whirling sounds and the excited stares and clamoring of all what was going on all around him.
He stood there in the big opened area at the starting point at the waiting line looking up to the huge opened like artwork of the ceiling with the name of the place painted upon it like a masterpiece.
“So? Are we just going to eye fuck that thing all Day or we going to go see some fish?”
The older voice comedically asked his question within his sons ear.
“Sorry Dad kind of was like caught up ha”
“oh don’t worry about it. I just figured brother that You want to see the real thing and not something that someone like you can just create.”
He looked forward now joining a few others that wanted to join him today.
“Sorry guys.”
“Oh no worries man. Just stoked to take all of this in finally. And what a better time then on a summer vacation. And with my main brother.”
“Yeah, I mean why not being Sophomore’s going into the Summer leading into Out Junior Year to come here To “Shilo Blue Aquarium” I mean the ladies are nearby? Am I right?”
The small dwindle of friends that ridiculed him and belittled him didn’t include these two. Or three if You counted the single chaperone of His father Lurking behind them as the line pushed up further.
“ yeah Your right. I just wanted to always come here you know? Cause I love the Water is all.”
“Yeah Pete and I am the pope.”
The sarcastic one replied accordingly fist. As he had reasons of agreeance of coming there today. He was the more romantically inclined one that no other young girl would ever look twice at. Which could explain why he made up a nickname that was catchy and if “Any girl” would know it she, would say it twice. Like Beetlejuice in a sense.
“No-No” Nolan.
His two closet friends simply knew him as Nolan Rake but that would be another story.
“No-No? what do You mean? Peter had always this intense fascination with the water since he was Knee High Right Mr. Catch?”
Mr. Catch (the dad) looked up from his phone for a moment as he heard he was getting aquatinted with his son’s inner cool kid group.
“Sure. If You count the time he almost drown and Paul and Porter had to jump in and save him on Alline Pier.”
Mr. Catch then returned to his cellphone unaware of the small pieces of information he had just disclosed opened a deeper lore of what truly made them all assemble there at Silo Blue Aquarium.
Peter Looked at both of his friends especially to the one who was, just sticking up for him against No-no.
“You almost drown in Alline? And you didn’t tell me? me? the one friend that’s been Your Sheild?”
“Sorry I didn’t think It was that important. I mean I didn’t know how to swim and Paul and Porter (under my mom’s orders) thought it was funny and try and push me in. go old school you know? But I guess no one really prepares You though for the circumstances of being cornered by a Bull shark.”
“What? I thought Your Dad just told us that Your brothers jumped in after you?”
“Well after I frantically clung to a pillar near the Peir Underbelly that was sticking out from the water. As I saw from the murky dark a shadow was moving like the scarlet speedster.”
“Shit.”
“NOLAN!”
“Sorry Mr. Catch.”
The young men muzzled with controlled volume then listened as Peter Catch finished off his tale of Fear that became a lifetime of secrecy to lead him into the obsession he owns.
“ I didn’t know what that was. It scared me to be so helpless like that you know? Holding onto a piece of wood like some cat. But, in that moment it looked so mesmerizing to look into the water and see what it could be. To kind of think of what else could lie deep down. Kind of the reason why since then I have been stockpiling books about the breeds of fish, eels, Crabs, and the many endless criteria on Sharks. I became obsessed of what I feared.”
The two friends looked enlightened and yet still confused.
“so? Jaws little brother almost took a chunk out of you? and You become Arthur Curry? And Yet you still cant swim? Boy Pete I am so glad were friends.”
“Gee thanks Butch.”
Peter said snarky.
“Guys come on were almost at the ticket booth. I got this code here sent from Mrs. Catch that should get us some line “Jumper” passes for a lot of exciting stuff.”
