"Quit looking at me like that." I had a tendency to talk to myself and to the fish. It's like having a conversation with someone who can only listen. A sea full of ears. "One of these days, we can go out and sail the world. You want to join me, Mr. Mackerel?" I sat there, looking at the school of fish in a bucket. "...I really need more friends." Standing up and flinging my line to the ocean again, I waited. Patience is a virtue, but I have all the time in the world. The sunset was being gently tucked in, almost ready for bed. Tints of pink and orange swam in harmony, reflecting on the horizon's tide. It was a sight to behold, one of the few positives of my job. Every night, I get to watch the sun dive beneath the surface. It gets prettier every time I'm lucky enough to see it. I looked up at the clouds swirling in perfect harmony. One of the most stunning evenings in a while. I sigh, feeling a slight tug at my heartstrings. In tandem, as if fate was synced with me, I feel a tug at the line. I slowly began to reel in my catch, not even bothering to look due to how entranced I was by the horizon. I hear the water gently place the mackerel aboard. I glance at the fish on the dock; its blue hue contrasts with the brown-tinted wooden deck. "Sorry to take you from your home, but at least you'll make someone else happy." I bend down and look at its simple colors, reminding me of a better time. I sit down and wait, just looking back at the sky.

Time passes, just leaving me entirely entranced by the swirling. Before I could realize what time it was, a monstrous thud bursts from a nearby rock, blasting into my serene visuals. I looked behind me, seeing a pile of purple-painted wood and metal slabs crudely sinking to the ocean floor. I watched on as bubbles popped and rubble was dropped into the darkened blue. "Oh fuck!" I quickly scramble to my feet as my need to figure out what happened puppets me to the wheel. I put my key in the ignition, the boat's engine flaring into life. "Come on, come on!" I say whilst swerving against the evershifting waves. I bring my boat to the other side of the somewhat moon-shaped boulder as the realization hits me like an airbag. The Criminal, Crook's ship, had hit here. I look around, not seeing him anywhere. Examining the crash site as safely as possible, I can't find his location. My heart dropped just like the wreck before me, knowing he was in the water somewhere. I grab a pair of goggles from off the wall, slipping them on as fast as I can while taking a deep breath and diving below the surface. I wasn't thinking clearly, but I couldn't just let Crook die. My vision was blurry at best, the sunset above acting as my guiding light as it cracked between the intertwining waves and debris. I look around before making eye contact with his figure, almost not seeing his body covered in his dark outfit. I quickly swam towards him like a torpedo fueled solely by panic and adrenaline. The tension was high, chasing his life while pathetically throwing mine on the line.

Barely able to get my hands far down enough, I desperately kick as fast as God will let me. I grip Crook's coat, using my grasp to pull him closer. His body limps to me, allowing me to pull him near as I force myself toward the air above. I'm almost there, just a couple seconds at max. The more I kick, the longer that time seems to disappear. With my life almost back into my own weak hands, I throw my head through the surface and take the biggest inhale my lungs can endure. My body is reinvigorated with a newfound life, allowing me to power through the pain and begin to journey ashore. I bring Crook above to air, flailing past the shrapnel of the collision and dented plates strewn around. I lift his body to the same crescent rock he crashed on, only giving me a cramped space to work with. As my lungs were flooded with air, I pulled and laid him flat on the ground. "You aren't dying on my watch, Crook! You're going to live! Please!" It sounds more like I'm saying it to myself than anything. The fear of being too late pumping through my system, dread pulsing throughout my fingertips. I spread my palms, placing them against Crook's chest and start doing CPR. I press against him, firmly but not harshly as I attempt to keep a steady pace. It doesn't look like it's working, his skin turning a desaturated blue. I couldn't understand. It'd only been a couple minutes at best, but Crook looked like he drowned hours ago. I stepped back, seeing his limp body for what it already was.

"What the...fuck is going on?!" I could hear thunderclaps from far away, a storm brewing. I couldn't believe my eyes, my handle on the situation slipping like someone reaching on ice. A pale complexion and an empty glassy look from Crook's eyes were what made my skin crawl, my body tensing up. I fell over, unsure of what to do as dark storm clouds began to form. "God, God please don't let this happen!" What was I supposed to do? Pray for it to change? Crook looked grotesque, as if already waterlogged and bloated. "Please don't let this be real, I'll do anything!" I looked up at the sky, darkness above. Droplets of water dived onto my face, mixing into the tears that were already dripping down. Thunder was a distance away, and yet still prominent enough to be heard. Sloshes of water crashed against themselves as I began to panic. "This doesn't make any sense! Someone, please help me, anyone!" I say, crying out to anything that would listen to my cries of agony.