Kenopsia - Chapter 45: Chapter 45

I carefully tied latched the trap and let go.
It was a simple mouse trap but I put it on the rooftop with a bit of tape to hold it down, a piece of cracker on it.
Any sort of hungry birds should come down and when they peck down it should unlatch and slam the metal down, birds have softer bones then mouses and the stronger sprigged ones would break mouse neck so it most likely would work.
I walked away and closed the door behind Whiskers, hopping that seeing no one will draw birds in.
"You stay here, I am going out, look after the fish and don't eat them." I said to him while petting his head.
I took my baseball bat with me this time, it was not heavy anymore but I still held the middle of it and did bicep curls with it, after a while my arm will get tired and then it will feel heavy so it is good training.
I walked across the bridge to the nearest mall and slipped in, the metal curtains forever half closed on it so it was constant crouches, maybe I should find a way to prop it up, I feel like I've been needing to get lower each time to get in.
I walked to the fishing section.
"I should find something."
I didn't know at all what I was looking for so I grabbed the fishing rod that seemed the nicest with a higher price, the high price must mean a good quality right?
I grabbed what was called a fishing-kit and there were a few things I could name in it from basic movies when someone was fishing, the lure, the fishhook and a spare reel but there were differences between each thing and I didn't know the reason.
I closed it and still took it.
I even grabbed the fishing for dummies guide book nearby.
"Come on!" I grumbled, having trouble threading the reel in and tying the weights, lure and fishhook on it like the drawing showed.
I need to learn to get myself food and not rely on malls, they won't hold out for eternity.
I took a deep breath when things were finally staying it place when I giggled the line around in the air.
I closed the kit and scaled down the edge of the river bank to the concrete at the edge of it and stood on it.
"Come on like in the movies, mind your fingers, those stupid survival documentaries must be fucking useful once in a while." I stabbed a small piece of my breakfast, a really dried blueberry from a dried snacks pack, on the fishhook and lifted the rod up and swung.
I watched with slight disappointment that the line sank, reeling it in again.
"What did I forget?" I scratched my head. "Ah! That floaty thing!" I groaned, dropping the rod and climbing back to my kit and grabbing what I think is what I need, climbing back down and starting the whole mess of putting this together.
My second throw of the rod yielded a bit more hope for my future as a fisherman as it floated.... But only two meters from me, I tried twice more and I am unable to cast the line further then that but I guess it requires training.... Fuck training.
I sat down and held the rod, people say they feel the pull of hear the reel unwind so I just gotta wait, I saw people fishing once in a while when the world was normal so now that I am alone I think I'll manage.
I pulled out my charged phone.... Damn dad.... Thanks....
I clicked my never to be updated downloaded playlist I had to at least hear something.
I pocketed it and hummed along to the music, I rarely used the phone even if my dad had made a way to charge it, the more you use it the worst it gets, even in the old world, people bought new ones every few years and I can't I am saving this one as long as I can... I wish I had just took pictures with it when I could, the last one dates back to before the broadcast to go in lock-down in out home, from before the Great Silence.
I yawned, rubbing my eyes, sleep had been eluding me since that day, the bruises on her neck, the noose, the bridge, all haunting my nightmares.... I just can't understand why she chose such a drastic measure.... I do understand but I don't want too.... I did turn a gun towards me that day and it was not the first time I did it since the start of it, at the time it just felt like the best choice...
I sat alone with my thoughts for a long time, I even saw a still living husk float down the river towards me and away, bye bye ma'am, have a nice swim...
whzzzzz.
I blinked and grabbed the handle of the reel.
I didn't know what to do right away but like... My brain kicked in and I reeled in.
It was a fish no bigger then my palm, flopping around in the air at the end of the line, no idea of its sort.
And that's when I realized.... I am about to kill another living being for me.
I closed my eyes, grabbing the line and swinging at the ground.
I opened one eye and looked at the blood splatter with a frown as I lifted the unmoving fish.
I had no idea how to get it off the hook so I carried it home with the kit and book like that.
I sat in my yard, all suited up as if I was to kill a husk but it was to take care of the fish.
I took a deep breath and pressed my cop knife down near the fishhook and cut the part off.
I sat there, holding the tail of the bleeding fish.
"Disgusting." I said, really not liking the glassy look in the fish's eyes and how it was missing the front of its face.
I finally moved when the dripping lessened.
I touched the scales.... I can't eat those.
I racked my brain to remember one of those documentaries, it can't be that they never removed scales off of a fish but it was the book that ended up giving me my answer.
I turned the knife to its blunt edge and rubbed it against the fish and, lo' and behold, the scales were popping off, three to four at a time but they were.
I am not sure if I should gut the fish, I clearly am not ready for that.... Plus aren't innards good for you? Or is that not fish innards?
I watched the fish, thinking but my gut was telling me to not eat the fish's ones.... I won't take risks so.... I'll.... gut it....
I cut down the stomach and felt mine flip when the fish's slid out of the hole and hung out the body.
I gagged to myself as I held it away from me, some organs less.... Attached... Splat-ing on the ground.
I scrapped it out and cut it with the knife, doing all I could to keep it as far as I could.
I grabbed yesterday's ravioli can and dropped the fish in it so I could finally let go off it.
I threw the plastic gloves off my hands and bunched up the mask, pushed the goggles down, I'll need to get used to this if I want to survive... Oh no what if I DO catch a bird? It will be another round of 'learning to prepare it'.... Not looking forwards to it....
I went to grab my little burner and the small grill top in had, setting it up, I would need to get a new one soon, I need to open the gas valve more and more for the same amount of it, it is running out.
I put the grill over it with a small metal piece that was one the backing once a nameplate on a trophy.
I sat there, holding the can off fish.
After a while I hovered my hand over the metal and felt heat radiating off it.
I grabbed the tip of the fishes tail between my finger and dropped it on the metal, heaving the skin sizzle loudly.
I would poke it with the knife I cleaned off to turn it around and make sure the parts were cooked before leaving for long enough to get one of the plates I took from the restaurant with one of the forks.
I cut of pieces that seemed cooked until it was a fish head and some meaty bones, I wasn't about to grab it and eat the meat of the bones.... Not there yet.
I flicked the fish remains off the metal with the knife and turned the burner off.
I hesitated a bit but I took a bite.
"Could be worst." I think I overcooked it.... But food is food.... "You luck bastard." I watched Whiskers enjoy the rest of the fish before looking away as it made me cringe on the inside, eating what I had since I worked to have it.
"How can anyone enjoy doing this? Such a mess.... I'd never do it if it wasn't a must." I muttered to myself. "A nightmare."
Ayo guys I've been wondering to myself and decided.
If you want a passing character to just add to the trauma or the world of our little Andie, I could make a character sheet for you to fill out so that your own character can be dropped in tho it is not a must.