Alicia & the talking fish. by Ian Mcluckie (beach read book .txt) 📖

Alicia
&
The Talking Fish.

By Ian Mcluckie
( PaPa )

Written For my Gran kids.


The summer sun flooded through the bedroom window, waking Alicia from a sound sleep. Someone was down the stairs walking around banging stuff, she could hear dad talking and laughing with mum. Alicia decided to get up and investigated, out of bed she jumped and quickly made her way down the stairs. As she run into the kitchen she could see that dad was going out for the day, in fact he was going fishing.
“ Morning honey “, dad leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
Alicia smiled then asked, “ Where are you going today dad, are you going fishing again ”. Dad didn't answer he just nodded his head and smiled. Mum came over and lifted Alicia up and sat her down at the table saying, “ Time to eat breakfast honey, you need to grow big & strong “.
“ But mum its not fair, the fish in the lake are my friends, “ Alicia protested.
Mum just smiled and gave her breakfast. Dad carried on building up his fishing rod, he smiled and then asked “ The fish are your friends honey, come on you know fish cant talk, “ Dad said laughing.
Alicia didn't laugh but grew cross with her dad,
saying, “ Dad the fish are my friends, if you let me come with you, I will show you that fish can talk. “ Alicia pleaded & pleaded & pleaded.
Dad finished putting his fishing rod together and told Alicia she could come with him. Dad laughed “ I would be a fool to miss a talking fish “.
After Alicia had eaten all her breakfast, she believed she was now big & strong just as mum had promised her. She dressed quickly and followed dad out the house. They made there way across the open pastures where they watched cows grazing. Up & along the forest fire-breaks and soon arrived at Alicia's magical lake, full of talking fish.

The lake was crystal clear with barely a ripple on the surface. Dad got his fishing rod built up and on his hook he pushed a large juicy worm. Dad was sure no fish could resist such a juicy free dinner, this worm would make. All of a sudden dad heard a large splash on the water. Quickly he looked around for Alicia, he was relieved to see her standing near to him.
Dad asked, “ What was the big splash, did you throw a stone in the water. “
Alicia shook her head & said “ It wasn't a stone dad, it was my friend Felix the talking catfish “.
Dad sat down beside her & ruffled her hair saying, “ Honey fish don't talk its just your imagination. “
Alicia turned round to dad and said, “ Do you want me to call him over and you can see that he's a real talking fish. “ Dad decided the only way to solve this puzzle was to play along and he asked Alicia, to call over her fish.
Dad asked, “ What's your friends name “.
“ His names Felix he's a catfish “, Alicia replied.
“Why don't you call to your catfish, “ said dad, feeling a little silly, but really wondering if a catfish could purr like a normal cat.
Alicia walked to the waters edge being careful not to fall in, she shouted to her friend, 3 times. “ Felix, Felix, Felix. “ At first dad could see nothing, not a ripple on the water. Alicia called him 3 more times and a wave of water rose slow at first, then quickly made its way toward the bank.
Dad never said a word he just stood there with his mouth open. Just as the wave hit the bank, there swam a large yellow catfish 6ft long with 4 large whiskers and it spoke.
“ Hello Alicia, “ said the fish. Dad nearly fell over with shock, its not everyday you hear a fish talk. Alicia clapped her hands together and shrieked with joy.
“ I told you dad, now do you believe me, “ Alicia asked her dad. For a few seconds dad couldn't talk all he could do was nod his head up and down. “ I believe you, “ Dad eventually said. Now feeling embarrassed because at dad's feet was his fishing rod, which he would have used to catch such a fish.
Felix the catfish now swam up & down the lake, showing off to his audience. Felix swam quicker each time he swam past Alicia & her dad. With one flick of his powerful tail, water shot all over Alicia's & her dad, soaking them both to the skin.
“ Aaaaahhhh,” Screamed dad, his arms in the air howling like a new born baby.
“ I wish your mum was here,” Dad cried out, running up and down the waters edge, unsure what would come next. Alicia laughed and shook the water from her hair and clothes.
“ Chill dad were going to get more wet when we go in the water, “ Alicia now telling dad of her intention to swim with the fish.
Dad shouts, “More wet, were not going in there with that HUGE fish, it might Eat me, Eat Us. “
Dad's face had turned white as he paced up and down the bank. Dad protested talking to himself, “ I heard people say, your kids will be the death of you, but this is real .” Dad whimpered.
Alicia stumbled and slid as she made her way down the waters bank. The last couple of feet she slipped on the mud and found she was up to her waist in the water. Dad screamed seeing his daughter land in the lake. With a leap, a bound & a very large splash dad was standing in the lake beside his daughter.
“ Its al-right dad he wont harm us,” Alicia told dad trying to calm him down. “ He's my friend “.
Dad quickly looked all around thinking the next vision he would see, would be a large fin streak across the lake intent on dinner.
Alicia started to explain to dad what was going to happen next. His voice trembled as he answered his wee girl.
“ What do you mean Hold on to his whiskers, “ “ He's huge he might bite me, bite us.” whimpered dad.
Alicia laughed remembering her mum calling dad a big fearty, when a spider ran between his legs while on a picnic. Alicia laughed at the image in her head, she always thought her dad was a superhero.
Slowly, as if not to frighten Alicia's dad too much, Felix slowly swam up beside them. Dad still seemed nervous, but as Felix got closer dad put a hand out and stroked him.
“ Hi “, Said Felix, “ Ready for a swim “. Even though he was scared, dad still nodded, “ Yes”.
“ Ok guys, hold on to my whiskers “, Felix chuckled. Without thinking they both took hold of his whiskers. Felix smoothly took them under the water. Alicia had explained to dad that when they had a hold on his whiskers, he breathed for all of them. The air passed from his gills up his whiskers and into there body, strange as it seemed they could also still talk.
The water was pleasant to touch even quite warm, but even stranger there eyes could peer deep into the bottom of the lake. Dad was the first to notice a group of lights moving in front of them. Alicia seemed to know where they were heading. “ Its ok dad “, she shouted “ were going to see the nursery “.