Monthly Drawing 35: Gone Fishin' (1/4) (Patreon)

Karen sat on the large stone within earshot of the river. The stone was harder than it had any right to be.

“F**k, I hate camping”, she whispered to herself. She comforted herself in the though that it would be worth it. Ian had been trying for a year to get her to go with him and now it would be both the first and last trip they’d take together.

“Now, now, Karen,” came a deep, resonant voice behind her, “You really should learn to relax.”

“F**k!” she called out as she spun around and leapt to her feet.

She’d raised her fists and dropped into a defensive posture but, when she saw who’d spoken, she relaxed a bit. It was who she’d been waiting for.

“Dammit, LaTrans, you didn’t have to sneak up on me like that!” She scolded,”You freaked me the f**k out!”

“I don’t sneak, my dear,” the tall, handsome Navajo man said with a slight smirk,”Well, I tell a lie, I DO sneak but, not this time.”

He was dressed, Karen noticed, in a gray flannel suit of a cut she’d seen on Mad Men with a bright purple tie and pocket square. It was totally out of place in the woods but, on LaTrans, it was anything but out of place. He stood as nonchalantly as though he was at a cocktail bar in Manhattan. 

“Are you ready?” She asked,”He’ll be back in about ten minutes. He’s off fishing… again.”

“Of course, I’m ready, my dear,” LaTrans said, adjusting an errant strand of his long black hair, “the question is: are you?”

“F**k yeah…” Karen laughed, “I’ve been waiting for this since we first met. Now, I’ve decided, I think he should get turned into-“

“One moment, my dear” LaTrans interrupted, “I’ll make you a deal. You can keep your money if I get to choose his new form. What do you say?”

Karen put her head on one side and regarded him shrewdly.

“You won’t be changing him into another person or something,” she said, brows furrowing, “I want him to become an animal.”

“Oh, no, my dear. An animal he’ll be.”

“Good,” She said with satisfaction and then glanced over her shoulder to the river,” Two years, right? I want him to be an animal for two years to make up for the two years I wasted with him.”

“Out of curiosity’s sake, why not just leave him?” LaTrans’ eyes locked onto hers,” Why summon me for this?”

“It’s like he tricked me!” she looked away, “Sure, he’s super-cute and romantic but, totally boring! He goes camping and fishing all the time!”

“And leaves you behind”

“Pfft,” She scoffed,”as if. He BEGS me to go all the time. I only went this time because of what we’re gonna do!”

“I see,” LaTrans looked over her shoulder,”I do believe he’s returning to shore now…”

___________

Ian pulled the canoe up the sand and tied the painter to a tree. He was reaching in to get his catch when someone behind him cleared his throat. It was not a girl’s voice.

He turned to see Karen and a tall native man in a really nice suit. He looked back and forth between them. Karen didn’t seem worried at all and, while the man didn’t seem threatening, Ian was wary.

“Ummm, what’s going on” Ian said, trying to keep the tremor from his voice, “Who are you? Who is this Karen?”

“I’m afraid, Ian,” the man said with what sounded like profound regret, “I’m here to completely change your life.”

“You’re going to kill me?” Ian found he was unable to move.

The man chuckled and Karen looked at him disdainfully. What was going on with those two, Ian thought.

“No, Ian” he laughed,” I said ‘change’ not ‘take’. You like fishing, I take it?”

“Y-yes…” Ian managed to get out, “Karen! What’s going on?”

“What’s going on, loser,” Karen sneered, “Is I’m breaking up with you!”

“With him?” 

“Eww! No!” Karen had the slight decency to look a little embarrassed. She turned to LaTrans, “Um.. Sorry?”

LaTrans looked at her with another small smirk then turned to Ian.

“Well, my boy, fishing will be a big part of your new life, yes indeed!” He pulled a small cloth bag tied with a leather thong form his suit pocket and rested it on the palm of his hand. He weighed it for a moment then said, “Catch!”

In one deft movement, he rolled the bag from his palm to his fingertips and flicked it at Ian. Taken by surprise, Ian felt it impact his chest and disappear in a puff of fragrant smoke. He blinked as he smelled sage and something like cinnamon. 

“W-whash going-“ Ian tried to say but, his mouth felt weird. He though the’d been poisoned until he felt his teeth growing and changing.

“It won’t hurt a bit, my boy” LaTrans smirked again as Ian began to feel the world grow around him…