#118: Cthulu

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It wasn’t the best of days, but it wasn’t the worst of days either. Reggie was at the wheel. He didn’t exactly have Cabin Fever, not exactly, but he wanted a smoke. Inside the cabin wasn’t the best place to smoke a cigar.

“Hey there big buddy” Mary climbed into the wheelhouse and sat down next to him.

“Ooooh...Chilly. “ she said, and slipped into a sweater.

Reggie smiled...and continued to puff on his Ceegar.

They sat in companionable silence for a while. That was one of the (many) things about Mary that Reggie really appreciated. She didn’t have to be talking all the time. She could sit back and enjoy the silence.

Usually.

“What is THAT?” Mary said.

“What was what?” he said

“That” she pointed “that has to be the biggest fish I’ve ever seen. I din’t know there was such a thing as a RiverWhale.

Reggie looked where she was pointing.

“Well I’ll be damned” he said “that IS one big catfish.”

So it was. It came closer. Soon it was swimming along side the Skoota maintaining station easily. It looked exactly like a big catfish.

Reggie unconsciously patted the rifle boot beside him, then checked his shoulder holster. If he had to he could bring the Winchester to bear in a heartbeat, or the Browning. He hoped he wouldn’t need to.

Mary noticed. She approved. Better to have a gun and not need it than the reverse, She was packing herself...but she couldn’t resist teasing.

“Really.....are you going to shoot that poor old catfish?” she said.“What has it ever done to you?”

Reggie played the game. He knew what she was doing. “ Nothing....and I intend to make sure it stays that way.”

“That’d be an awful lot of catfish filet’s” Mary said “I don’t believe we could eat them all before they spoiled.”

“Reason enough to live and let live” Reggie agreed. “If it leaves us alone...I’ll leave it alone.”

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The Next Episode is
#119: Dragon Force Central…
The Previous Episode was
#117: “Are we going anywhere?”…
the First episode was
#1 : Prologue

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