Chapter One
Sofro swam cautiously and quickly. If a net got her, she was gone.She was going to meet her friends in their meeting and hiding place.
She and her friends, Aswad, Asfar and Jameela, lived together in a giant beautiful blue lake. But the lake was dangerous too. Fishing boats might catch you and take you away, away from your home and friends. Many of the fish had disappeared because of the deadly and dangerous nets. Some big, huge fish might eat you too.
Sofro was an electric yellow female fish.Asfar was male and the same kind of fish as Sofro, while Aswad was a male flowerhorn, and Jameela was a female golden severum.
Sofro heard a rumbling and saw the fishing boat far away, but it was approaching fast.Sofro saw Asfar coming up to her with a scared look in his eyes.
’Sofro, that fishing boat with its horrible net is coming towards us. Whatever shall we do?’asked Asfar, shivering.
There was a deep rumbling again, but it was so violent that every single thing shook, including the fish.Sofro looked up and saw the deadly net coming closer and closer.
’Towards that reef!! Quick!’ she managed to shout.
Sofro and Asfar dashed away as fast as they could. They swam towards the reef, their hearts beating away. Behind them, loomed the fishing boat’s net. The scared two fish swam and swam until they reached the reef. There was a small hole in front of them, and they swam into it.It led down into a passage of sand, supported by rocks.They swam down it until they came to a little cave.Sofro and Asfar were safe at last. This was their meeting-place. They heaved a sigh of relief.
’Have you been chased too?We were and we barely escaped,’said Jameela.
’Yes, Jameela,’said Asfar, still shaking. ’We had an awful scare.’
’Why do they do that, anyway?’ asked Jameela.
’I don’t know, but we have to keep hidden,’said Sofro, trying to be cheerful.
’But we have to eat!’ shrieked Jameela.
’We will just have to be brave. We can’t stay here forever,’said Aswad, bravely.
’Well, I guess you’re right,’said Jameela, Sofro and Asfar.
’Now about food. Who’ll go out and see if the boat is gone?’ teased Aswad.
‘I will,’ said Sofro, who was used to Aswad’s ways. She slowly poked her head out and looked around. The boat was gone with the net.
’It’s gone. I can’t see it anywhere, Alhamdulillah!’ smiled Sofro.
’Good, now we can eat!’ grinned Aswad.
They headed out of the hole and found some soft plants and snails for dessert. When they were finished eating, the sun was setting.They decided to spend the night in the cave together since it was much safer there.They swam back to the cave.
‘Sweet dreams, everyone!’said Jameela, sleepily.
‘I wonder what will happen tomorrow,’ wondered Sofro. ‘In sha Allah, it will be good, not bad.’
’I’m scared in case those nets might catch us,’ trembled Asfar.
’Yeah, me too,’ murmured Aswad, already falling asleep.
At last, everyone fell asleep. Their little cave was dark.Outside, the moon cast its light down into the lake, making the lake look even more beautiful.
