Boots McFly and the Devil in the Lake
Boots McFly woke up every day at six in the morn', put on his lucky fishin boots and headed out to Lake Rouge to catch some Cowfish. Sometimes he'd catch a couple of fat Pigfish or, when he was selling to specialty merchants he'd catch a spicy Scorpionfish, but his bread and butter was usually the easy to cook and always tasty Cowfish.
On the last day of the month o' Jack o' Lanterns, Boots prepped his boat Old Lucy. It was a foggy morn', and the lake was empty of people. The other fishermen were superstitious about this day. Boots didn't mind. More fish for him. As Boots rowed Old Lucy out toward the middle of the lake he heard the cry of a loon, giving him goosebumps. He took a swig of Old Logan's moonshine, to calm his nerves, then he cast out his line. He fished for about an hour before falling asleep.
When Boots woke he saw the fog surrounding him, he couldn't see the land, yet his boat and the water around it were completely clear. The sun was shining down on him. Then he heard laughter in the fog. A mans laugh. Or a cat screeching, it sounded so horrific.
"Who's out there?" called Boots.
"Who? Who am I?" asked the voice in the fog. "I go by many names. Mister Pale, the Drowned Fool, Great White Devil.. but you, Boots McFly, may call me Atlahab."
"The lake demon?" replied Boots. "I've heard stories.. myths. It's been a hundred years since anyone's seen you."
"A hundred years to this day." said Atlahab, as he walked out of the fog toward Old Lucy. He seemed to dance on the water. He wore black sailors clothes, his skin was pale white, almost blue. He was bald and his skin smooth. His eyes were black, his nose sharp, when he smiled he revealed rows of sharks teeth.
As Atlahab got close to the boat he smiled wide at Boots, then sunk into the water. Boots looked over the side of the boat where Atlahab dropped into the water. The water was still. As if nothing had happened. Then there was a loud scraping noise from under the boat as if something were crawling on the bottom of the boat. Atlahab crawled up on the other side of the boat. Each hand had six pointed fingers that were three times longer than a normal mans. Atlahab sat in the boat, facing Boots, and smiled.
"What do you want?" asked Boots.
"To give you something." replied Atlahab. He reached behind him, over the boat and pulled up a large sack.
"What's in the sack?" asked Boots.
"Before I tell you, I want you to answer a question." responded Atlahab. "Who is the richest fisherman in Cape Rouge?"
Boots thought a moment before answering. "Well, I guess that'd be my hero, Boss Heck. He's the richest, most famous fisherman around. He's an old man though. Hell, they say he's over a hundred.." Boots trailed off.
Atlahab smiled. "I met him when he was nineteen. We made a deal. Once a week we met out on this lake and I gave him a sack just like this." Atlahab dumped the sacks contents into the boat. There was Cowfish, Pigfish, Scorpionfish and even the rarest of all fish, the Emerald Eyed Pharaohfish. These fish were worth a fortune.
Boots jumped up and down with joy. He'd be rich. "Hell, mister Atla'ab. What do you want for all this?" Boots asked.
Atlahab smiled wide, shark teeth gleaning. "After one hundred years, I will eat your body, mind and your soul."
Boots gulped. "That don't sound good."
"If you refuse I will still eat your body and mind. Today. In this boat." Atlahab said firmly, then looked over Boots shoulder. "Ah! Just in time."
Boots looked behind himself to see an old man in a boat sail right up to Old Lucy. "Hello Boss Heck. I don't suppose you've met Mister Boots McFly?" Atlahab asked. The old fisherman looked at Boots and grunted.
Atlahab walked onto Heck's boat and stood over the old man. "Are you ready, Heck?"
"No." spit the old man.
Atlahab opened his mouth wide and swallowed old Boss Heck whole. Boots turned away but he could still hear the smacks and crunches of the demon eating.
Boots looked back to see Atlahab lying in a pool of blood, his belly extended. Atlahab smiled at Boots. "A hundred years of wealth and fame. They'll even build you a statue. Name a village after you. Or you can die right now. Your choice, Boots."
50 Years Later
Mayor McFly stood at the podium in downtown Cape Rouge. "This statue is to commemorate my father, the most famous and wealthy fisherman of Cape Rouge. Boots McFly."
The handsome mayor smiled at his old man. "Last time we did this they named a village after you," Referring to Boots Villa, a small fishing village. "Now you just get a statue." he joked.
Everyone laughed. The mayor continued. "Hey dad, tell these good people one of your old fishing stories, like the time you punched the devil and made off with his sack of fish. I know I've heard that one a hundred times."
More laughs. Boots McFly laughed along and stood up to the podium.
"Ha ha, that one is my favorite, Mister Mayor." Boots said with a wink to his son. As he began telling his great tall tale, one might call it his great white lie, he looked off into the distance.
He could see Lake Rouge from here.
He shuddered as he remembered his fate.
The End
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