The Catch of the Day

By Sam

He swam silently through the calm waters of the Pacific. He was hungry but he knew how to find food, evolution had made sure of that. His kind had been around for eons, unchanged the perfect predator, perfectly adapted to his environment. He could since the movement of his prey for five miles. He could since blood in the water at one part per billion roughly the size of one drop in an Olympic size pool. He had no natural enemies, only the Orca held a higher position in all the oceans than he. He was the perfect predator and now he was hungry. He swam slowly following the sent that promised him his hunger would soon be satiated. He grew confused the sent of blood was strong in the water but there was no prey, none that he recognized anyway. There was something though, something floating on the surface perhaps that was food. He knifed upwards through the darkness 2000 pounds of muscle and teeth.

Joe had picked the wrong time to be taking a piss off the dive platform. He was drunk again as usual. He and his buddies came out here for one purpose and one purpose only to hunt Sharks an activity that was illegal sense the Marine protection act. Shark hunting was strictly regulated to only a few species and only for a few months out of the year. Joe cared little for the law though, he came out here for the fun of killing. Often killing anything and everything in sight, anything that surfaced, taking back what he could sell on the black market. Today though was not going to be a good day for Joe.

The jolt was violent and sudden. Joe had just started to zip up his fly when he suddenly found himself flying threw the air splashing down in the warm pacific waters. At first he thought he was pushed by his buddy but then he saw the fin rise up in front of him. A fin so large at first he thought it was an Orca.

The shark circled Joe slowly curious , whatever it had just got a mouthful of was certainly not food and the creature that floated in front of him didn't look like anything he had ever seen in the water before. This called for closer inspection. The shark moved in close actually bumping Joe with his snout then moved back out to observe his reaction. Joe's reaction was terror. He was clinging to the side of the boat frozen in fear. He himself had been responsible for the slaughter of hundreds of Sharks, dolphins and even a few Whales but he swore to his god that if he survived this he would never take another life. Joe screamed for help waking his buddy Mel from his drunken stupor. He staggered to the side of the boat slipping on blood and chum just in time to see Joe go under. Joe too drunk to even cling to the side of the boat slipped beneath the surface and came face to face with his worse nightmare. Inches away Joe stared into the lifeless black eyes of death and as his bowels emptied into his pants he pleaded. " Please God please I'll never kill another shark" Joe had suddenly found religion.

The Shark somewhat amused by this strange thing in front of him gave it another nudge with his snout before disappearing into the murk deciding to go after a large Sea Bass something that he recognized as food. And a thankful Joe was finally hauled up by his friend.

"Get the Harp Gun, that Son of a Bitch is going to pay" was the first words that came out of his mouth ,forgetting his vow as soon as his feet hit the deck. The engines were fired they had a solid Sonar lock on the Shark it was an easy thing to track him.

The Shark having fed on a large Sea Bass glided to the surface to soak up the warmth of the Sun. He was full for now the burning hunger satisfied at least for a few hours , it was time to relax to cruise the surface and even play a bit in the waves. He felt the first sting right below his dorsal then another and another. The pain was tremendous He tried to swim but even his amazing strength was not as great as the wench that pulled him towards the surface. He felt himself growing weak and then something he never experienced, fear as he felt his body totally leave the water. He was no longer in his environment where he was king. He was in mans environment and he was totally helpless.

The shark suddenly unable to breathe gasping for oxygen found himself once again staring into the eyes of the strange creature that he had just seen.

" How does it feel you Bastard" Joe yelled as he jammed a gaff into the Sharks side over and over while Mel laughed. The searing pain was excruciating until finally the Sharks body went limp his pain gone.

" Were taking this one back whole a Great White is worth at least 25 grand" Joe said as he dumped the shark back into the water lashing it to the side of the boat. And back they went nonstop three days to the coast of Ca. The Shark lashed to the side of boat somehow managed to survive , the moving boat pushing water across his gills keeping him alive. While injured gravely his wounds were not mortal at least not for several more hours plenty of time to possibly escape to possibly meet once again the creature that was responsible for his pain.

Joe guided his boat through the electrostatic Shark netting that protected the beaches. He was headed for a small hidden cove that nobody else used. It was illegal to traverse waters protected by netting for fear of damaging it and leaving swimmers unprotected. Joe did not even give this a thought as he made his way threw the netting and finally to his small cove where he couldn't wait to get a look at his prize. Jumping over the side he began to unstrap his trophy and then whistling happily he began pushing it through the water toward shore. Now to Joe's credit the Shark did appear dead but as he pushed it through the water it suddenly came back to life. There was no warning no movement whatsoever . The Shark suddenly spun knocking Joe backwards. Joe in waste deep water suddenly found himself backpedaling for his life. All the while the Shark furiously pursuing gnashing his teeth trying to catch a leg wanting to show Joe the true meaning of pain. Joe desperately tried to avoid its jaws kicking in a blind panic his legs becoming gashed from scrapes on the razor sharp teeth. Somehow though Joe managed to escape barely getting to shallow enough water where the Shark couldn't follow.

" Jesus Christ" Mel screamed picking up the radio " We have to tell somebody"

" Put the radio down Mel" Joe said, freezing Mel with an icy stare.

" Your crazy man. Poaching fish is one thing, but murder. I'm radioing shore patrol." Mel said as he flipped the radio on

" No your not Mel and you know why" Joe asked, with a grin

Mel looked up confused " Why"

" Cause your dead" Joe said, as he raised the pistol

The bullet exploded out the back of Mel's skull in Joe's opinion friends were highly over rated.

Joe stood over the dead body of his former 'friend' watching the Shark move out of the cove toward the beaches, where a thousand kids were enjoying the sun and the surf oblivious to the silent death that had suddenly been unleashed upon them. A death that was filled with rage and pain and an incredible hunger.

Krista lay back on the beach feeling the warmth of the summer sun on her supple body. She could feel the sun infusing her with energy, her breast becoming slightly larger, firmer threatening to burst the tiny top that barely restrained them. She was very aroused the warm sun against her body always did that, she felt the moistness between her thighs begin to grow. How she wanted to caress herself to appease her growing need to run her fingers up her moist slit. She giggled to herself at the thought of doing so on such a crowded public beach, at the effect she would have. She had already had quite an effect on the people around her, her powerful pheromones too much for the people nearest her. She could here with her super hearing the soft sighs of the women lying around her, barely audible even to her. This fueled her passion knowing they were so turned on buy her, that they were so incredibly wet just like her, aching with a need. She imagined them around her their tongues on her body, pleasuring her, their hands exploring covering her in scented oil. It was too much she felt her orgasm began to ripple through her body. She tensed forcing herself not to cry out as the pleasure washed over her in wave after joyous wave. Her body trembled sending small tremors through the earth as her body exploded in ecstasy. She couldn't help but let out a small gasp as the intense pleasure gripped her body, her muscles suddenly turning to steel her body exploding in a mass of female muscle as the ecstasy passed through every fiber of her body until it slowly began to fade leaving her trembling and breathless in the warmth of the summer sun.

Krista, her climax subsided, rose up on one elbow. She giggled as she watched the people nearest her. They were rising up slowly too. It was clear especially by the dark stains in front of the crotches of the young men that her passion had engulfed them also. She giggled as she watched the boys confused as to what had just happen grab their boogie boards covering themselves strategically as they headed for the water. She laughed it seemed every male within a hundred feet of her suddenly had the urge to boogie board.

She heard it first with her super hearing. but then the cry echoed through the crowd until everyone was shouting and pointing. A single word a swimmers worst nightmare SHARK!!

A panic ripped through the throngs of people in the water as they ran for shore not knowing where the monster was or if it was coming for them. Frantic Mothers yelled for their children people were trampled on their way from the water. Every one was lost in panic, everyone but Krista who was already rocketing out above the water in the red blue outfit her sister had given her. People cheered as they seen her. As everyone rushed from the water away from an unseen terror one tiny blonde rocketed towards it.

It didn't take Krista long to spot the huge fin. Thank God she thought it's on the outskirts way out by the protective netting. While the people were still in a panic it looked like nobody was in immediate danger as long as she got rid of that thing before it had a chance to wreak anymore havoc. She hovered above it. She had never really seen a real Shark, just the ones on Television she was stunned at its massive size and those teeth TV doesn't do this thing justice she thought. Suddenly the Shark disappeared below the surface and Krista knew it was time to act she couldn't afford to lose it.

Krista dove beneath the surface the water was crystal clear but she couldn’t see the shark shit where did it go she thought. She quickly surfaced hoping to see the fin, looking around she suddenly felt something grab her legs and in an instant she was pulled below the surface. The huge Shark had both her legs firmly in his mouth pulling her deeper into the murky depths. Big mistake fishboy she thought as she suddenly begin flying through the water pulling the shark up towards the surface. The Shark holding on even as his body left the water. The people on shore gasped as they seen Krista fly up out of the water in the Jaws of the huge fish and then again as the shark let go crashing back too the waves. " Shit" Krista screamed diving back down to face the beast. The Shark had turned its attention, now focused on the electrostatic netting it was pushing against it. Krista watched as the Shark pushed against the netting. If it couldn't get out, how did it get in she wondered. The netting emitted an electronic pulse that sharks absolutely hated. Never had one been seen within two hundred feet of it let alone to cross it and if there were a break in it the interruption in current would have triggered an automatic warning to Life guards. That was something she could figure out later right now the problem was more immediate. She grabbed the huge fish by the tail spinning him around hurling him back through the water. She swam up to the disoriented fish drawing back her fist . The plan was to knock him into next week and then give him a quick ride far out to sea making him think twice about ever swimming through the netting again. But as she got her first real good look at the Shark she froze. He was all cut up, bleeding in several places. He had a harpoon buried in his upper body just below his dorsal and two more in his side. Some of his teeth had been broken the result of chomping a super girl. He seemed, amazing as it sounds suddenly frail to her. He totally ignored her as she swam up next to him. Pushing past her he swam back to the netting, his rage and anger totally overcome by the weakness caused from his injuries , the fight totally taken out of him by his brief battle with the tiny blonde teenager. Right now all he wanted was to get back to open sea, to not die in captivity to go back to his own world away from these creatures that had caused him so much pain. Krista peered past the netting out to sea, squinting she focused her amazing sight on a creature 100 yards out it was another Great White a female. So you have someone waiting for you Krista thought.

The crowd on the beach was deathly silent scanning the waters for a sign of the battle that had briefly and very dramatically broke the surface moments earlier. Suddenly the fin was spotted it was coming directly for shore. The crowd was stunned had Krista really lost? They watched in silence as the fin grew closer and then they erupted in cheers as the saw the huge fish rise out of the water. Krista carryed the huge fish over head as if the 2000 pound Shark weighed no more than a loaf of bread. She sat it down on the sand the helpless Shark now
gasping for air.

The crowd went crazy cheering gathering around the now helpless Shark. There cheers soon faded to murmurs when they saw the pitiful shape the creature was in slashed in a dozen places harpoons protruding from his body, they were suddenly silent.

" Does anyone know anything about Sharks?" Krista asked the silent crowd.

" I do" said a young woman walking up to the huge fish" DR. Janissa Fayhil marine Biologist " she said introducing herself as she examined the Sharks wounds. " Poachers" she said under her breath.

" Poachers?" asked Krista

" Do you want to save him" Janissa asked ignoring Krista's question.

"Sure ..but how"

" Can you get him to the Oceanographic Institute in under and hour its five miles down shore from here. I'll call ahe..

Before she could finish her sentence Krista had picked up the huge fish and was streaking across the sky.

3 months later

The huge Great White dubbed Toothy by the countless school children that came to visit him during his long recovery became quite a celebrity on the national news, the only Great White in captivity. Krista precipitated his recovery doing things in the tank that others couldn't safely do. He seemed to accept her and even at times to play, a behavior never before witnessed in his species and Krista found that when the time actually arrived for him to be released back into the ocean she was both happy and sad. She had spent so much time with him she was actually going to miss him. She brushed a tear from her eye laughing at herself, imagine being attached to a shark, not quite your typical pet, but then I'm not quite the typical girl, she thought to herself as she watched the boat leave taking Toothy back out where he belonged. She would never see Toothy again, the temptation was there but it was for his own good. It would not be a good thing to have him get used to people all people are not as durable as she was a fact that probably would be lost on him, so she said her good-bye's at the tank giving him a big smooch on the snout and they went their separate ways.

2 month's later

Joe was having a bad day 12 hours and not a single kill. He finished his beer throwing the empty can overboard. The can struck the water sending ripples and small sound waves deeper into the depths than one could realize and 2OO yards away something reacted to the vibrations. Turning towards the vibrations it cut through the water in silence, at first driven by instinct but then by something else, RAGE.

Joe cursing decided it was time to head for home , but he just had to take a leak first, stepping out on the dive platform he quickly did his business his scent carried on the water as a skunks through the night air. Then as he was stepping back into the boat a sudden strong breeze, seemingly out of nowhere on a totally calm night, caught his new cap. He cursed as he watched it hit the water. Grabbing a gaff he leaned forward stretching, it was just barley out of his reach. Putting one foot on the outdrive to increase his reach he tried again. Success he hooked the cap but slipped and found himself suddenly in the water. Cursing he quickly tried to turn toward the boat to reach the platform but the gaff, whose handle had lodged in the outdrive, had caught his shirt. He couldn't move and as 2000 pounds of 'toothy' fury raced up from the depths at him Joe's day was about to go from bad to worse!

The End