This reflection of mine...

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Staring down at the face in the water, I can't help but feel at calm. Maybe it's the fact that I'm in nature, far away from anyone who could distract me from myself.

Myself... what a funny concept.

I reel the line in again, taking a look at the hook to make sure the bait is still there, before casting the line out yet again. I didn't fish any but once, a brief respite with a short-lived friend in high school. I don't remember being much good at it then, nor am I that amazing now. I'd always been a city kid, never going to the country besides the occasional stop on a road trip. 

Finding what I thought was a good fishing rod took some time in town, browsing through stores until I found one that suited my taste. Of course, I don't actually know what makes a good fishing rod good, so I just grabbed the largest one.

After all, size matters, right?

I chuckle to myself whilst looking across the water, the rod still in my hand. Eventually, I stick the handle of the fishing rod in the ground so I don't have to hold it. Then I lean back and lean up, gazing at the sky.

I should be studying or training or networking or going to therapy, but I'm doing none of the sort. Instead, I'm fishing alone with no one around me.

Come to think of it, what would I even do if I caught a fish? I don't even remotely like the texture or taste of fish, so why am I fishing? The money I'd get from selling the fish would also be too little to be worth anything in comparison to my monthly allowance.

This is a waste of the fishes life. No one would benefit in this scenario, the fish would just go to waste. But now that I've casted the line, I've forced myself into catching any fish I may get.

A needless waste of life...

I shake my head a little, rubbing my eyes before looking back down to the rod. The line gently sways occasionally because of what little wind there is today, helpless to resist a force that's so little in the grand scheme of things.

A lot has happened in the last 3 months. Reincarnation, school, magic... murder, etc... I can't tell if this new life has been good or bad, but the logical part of me wants to say good. After all, I should have a new lease on life by now! But honestly, it feels more like I took out a loan.

All this responsibility for something I didn't want... it makes me angry, but it's not like I can kill myself twice in a row. Well, I probably could, but I won't for now. It feels morbid, but I'll let this life play out for now.

Something finally snags my line, the haft of my fishing rob bending forward. I grab the handle out from the ground, standing up and lifting the rod. I pull towards myself with gradual pressure as I reel it in, being careful to not snap the line.

"Oh... oh my god... I-I think I finally got one!" Despite the futility of catching this fish, I'm still happy that I finally got something after waiting so long.

I continue reeling it in, watching the water start moving more and more until I see a desperate fin moving on the surface of the water. I give one last tug to the line, the fish fully breaking the surface and dangling above the ground.

A smile tugs at my lips as I look behind me, ready to show off my achievement. I remember my solitude a second later, my face taking a dive. This would've been better with my friends...

Regardless of my disappointment, I look at the fish with curiosity. I'm not an expert in fish, but it kinda looks like a... trout, or a bass, or... ok, I have no idea what it looks like. 

It's a dark red color on the back, fading into white on the belly. It also has what looks like an eye near it's tail... fin... thingy. In fact, it looks like it has 5 or so fins. It's a bit heavy, maybe around 18 pounds. I didn't realize fish could be this big, but that probably says more about me than the fish.

I hear something rustle in the nearby bushes, throwing a glance towards them for only a second before seeing something dart past my vision and to my left. The weight on my rod feels a lot lighter... wait, was that my line snapping?

 "Wha... my fish!" I exclaim, now noticing the lack of a fish on my hook. "My fucking fish!"

The confusion quickly turns to irritation as I realize I was just speed-blitzed by a woodland creature. I wasn't ready, and got speed-blitzed by something I should've been able to intercept...

I'm a fool, I know nothing!

I drop the pole and run to the bushes on my left, following after the brush-thing to get my fish. This is the first time I've caught a fish of my own skill, so why should I let it go? I can see something in front of me, a little blurry but it looks kinda like a tail.

The thing is maybe the size of a small dog, but more in the shape of a salamander. It's torso is long, it's skin slimy and clearly moist. Although it almost looks like it's growing scales, which makes me think it's not a salamander. Whatever it is, it stole my fish.

I watch as it chews my fish in its mouth as it runs, squeaking when it finds out that there's a hook inside of it. What a terrible alternative to a prize inside a cereal box. It stops running, allowing me to easily catch up as it squeaks.

I... I kinda feel bad, even if it stole my fish. Do I forgive the salamander? I dunno, honestly. I reach a hand out to it's mouth slowly, recieving a bite to the fingers before retracting my hand. Fucking ouchies.

It takes everything in me not to scream, just letting out a dry cough as the breath expels itself from my lungs. Owie, owie, owie, owie, owie...

"Fine, be that way then. See if I care..."

With that, I turn away and consider the fish that the salamander stole a lost cause. Honestly, who needs mother nature? Not me... nope, not at all. I tear up a little as I clutch my hand, toughing up because I'm a big boy who doesn't even need fingers.

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