David propelled the boat down the line of stilted buildings. The water calmed down a lot, giving a more peaceful ride back home.

Sky was filled with nice pearl white clouds.

In the distance David could see the fishing farm's metal ring's and Henry's crew working away. Pulling fish out with nets fashioned by Mark Greg.

"Look over there those guys are pulling nets full of fish out!"

David steers the boat navigating it along the side of Henry's boat.

" Hey David, you made it back just on time, we need help with transport of our load to either your place or mine. Good, you brought along another recruit, we could sure use the extra guy around here."

David hooks the port of his boat to the starboard side of Henry's.

"This is Kenny, he will be staying and working alongside us from now on. Kenny, this is Henry, Von, and Sergal."

"Hello, nice to meet you." Kenny greets the fellow fish farmers.

"Welcome to the fish farms of Zone C kid.

Welcome aboard as well, here you guys start with those boxes of The black two head trout."

David and Kenny start loading boxes of fish into David's boat.

Once all the boxes were transferred into David's boat.

Henry asked them to help pull the last net in from the last fish farm ring.

David and Kenny got back into David's boat and David untied the ropes holding his boat to Henry's.

Then von and Sergal pushed David's boat away then David started it up and followed Henry who was on a set course towards the last fish farm ring.

Kenny holds onto one of the boxes of two headed black trout. "There's a lot of fish in these boxes." David steering the boat along replies. "Yes there is more to come."

Kenny smiles watching Henry approach the last fish farm ring. David maneuvered his boat along the side of Henry's, Von and Sergal helped tie the boats together again.

Kenny helped himself aboard Henry's boat. "Well let's harvest!" Von points at the net flag floating in the waters. Sergal starts pulling in the net with Von. All the while taking out fish from the net and tossing them Into the last of the boxes.

After a while switching positions with David for the net and Kenny to take the fish off the Net. Henry kept a good look out and over watch of the boats.

"you guys can keep half of this load when we're all done cleaning." Henry gave a quick glance at the crew but kept his watch on the nets and fish coming from them.

"We got a good catch here today." Henry smiled.

David placed the net into a box once it was cleared from the water.

David and Kenny hopped back into David's boat that was loaded with fish boxes by Von Sergal.

David untied the boat's and Henry hollard across "Meet you back at your place!'

Henry started to boat down towards David's cylinder homestead.

It was late afternoon and the sky was still blue with pearl clouds filling the skies.

The smell of the fish was making them both hungry.

" When we get back to the place, I will cook and you will taste my favorite soup recipe for these black two head trout." David steered the boat along, staying about 20 meters away from Henry; as they were boating down the waters Kenny noticed some boats approaching. "David, look at those boats, are those friends?" David glanced over his right shoulder seeing the boats approaching with red spray paint covering the bows of the boats. "Kenny reach into that metal box, there's a flare gun in there shoot it into the air." David tells Kenny in a concerned way. Kenny reaches down to open the metal box.

Kenny retrieves the flare gun. "Here David I don't know how to use this." Kenny hands David the flare pistol, David fires the flare gun into the air.

The green light flew across the sky.

There was no return flare. Henry's boat stopped ahead for David to catch up. Once David's boat was within throwing range Henry tossed David a Hand gun and two magazines. "Take that gun David we got pirates inbound! STAY DOWN KENNY!"

Henry had two weapons, a large harpoon gun and a bolt action rifle that shot 308. Rounds.

David tossed on the boat floor a metal helmet for protection. Kenny put the helmet on and took cover.

David placed the first magazine into the hand pistol. Pulling the action to set a bullet to fire.

The boats approached. " I got a lock on them what about you von?" Von squinted down the sights. "Whenever you want to take a shot." David's heart pounded.

The Red boat's started firing, splashes of water shot up into the air some bullets hit the boat doing little damage. The red boats approaching one to the right and two to the left side of Henry's and David's boat's. David opened fire at one of the Red boat's with his hand pistol doing little damage. Von shot and damaged the passenger of one of the first boats to go by Henry shot his arrow an the explosives on the arrow blew up the third Red boat and it's crew into the air and waters around.

After the Red boat's gang suffered a handful of casualties and took some damage and quickly realised that Henry had some fire power they continued on leaving behind the exploded boat and crew.

"They look like they had enough." David reloaded the hand pistol. Henry started his boat back up. "Yeah let's not follow their exact path we gotta go around them. They could have left us some mines on the way." David started up his boat to follow Henry back to his place some of the boxes of fish had bullet holes in them from the red boats. "Bastards, are you okay Kenny?" Kenny looked up at David.

"Who were they?" David shook his head.

"Pirates, hungry people, Idk sometimes I think the other fishing farm's hire them. But Henry insists that's crazy talk." David shrugged "They have been trouble for a few months but their attacks are getting worse, last week I wasn't around the city cause saki was shot in the chest and died on impact, he was my boat hand before you, that was his helmet your wearing." Kenny took the helmet off and had a long look at the helmet Kenny was afraid. "Don't be afraid Kenny we will stop those guys like we did today. All is Well, I was on the boats your age, That's how I made my living in fishing zone C." David points too the cluster of cylindrical building's see that one is Henry's and these two are von and sergal's families and this one is the one we stay in."

David and Henry pull up too David's dock.

David fastens his metal lock and chain to the dock and port of his boat. Then he starts placing the fish filled boxes on to the dock. I will call down the platform lift.

David climbs up his ladder which was an easier climb than earlier in the wet morning. When he got to the top he made his way to the cargo platform. David pushed the lower level button and rode the platform down its track to meet the crew at the bottom.

Kenny and David both started to pile the boxes on with the help of Von And Sergal.

Henry climbed up while they fitted the boxes on the platform. "Kenny can I get you to climb on and hit the top level button and ride up with the cargo. While we climb." Kenny hopped over the fish boxes and pushed the button. Kenny grabbed the side of the box to hold on to.

At the top of the platform David opened the front door putting a door stop so the other's had an easier time getting through.

" Woah this looks nice in here." Kenny said with enthusiasm. "Thanks I decorated it myself." David laughed "but help your selfs to the water and boil or cook any food we all share in this house."

The crew lifted the boxes into David and Kenny's and started to work on the fish boxes, taking up three tables David and Kenny, Von and Sergal, but Henry he had his own.

Kenny was amazed to see Henry clean fish His blade went in and out And in one slice the fish fillets were prepared. " Amazing!" Kenny starred in astonishment. "Watch and learn kid you will be a pro like me one of these days if you pay attention." Henry laughed and took out his pipe. Lighting the bowl with a magnified glass and the power of the sun set shining in through one of the cut squares in the cylindrical walls.

"Always liked this cut of the windows it gets the best light." Henry starts smoking his pipe. David starts to boil some cut fillets and putting some into a box to bring back to the Stilted city for James and Father AES.

Von packed pipe filled bowl and smoked. " Damn those pirates we need more fire power to keep them off for good."

Sergal nods in agreement. " I will check in town with Mark about upgrading our boats or getting a whole new boat instead."Henry responds and gets back to work on his fish. David stirred his pot of fish while the crew managed thier time late into the evening cutting, cleaning, boxing the fish up for wholesale. "Henry, so, I might need abit of help watching my place and boat, fishing zone A farmers have it out for us."

David un loads the hand pistol clears the chamber and hands it back to Henry.

"Keep it if this is true I will have to purchase another one and ammo. What makes you think the farms from zone A have it out for us?" Kenny looked at David waiting to hear the response. "They yelled at Kenny here and gave me the rope from my boat dock also on the way to the stilted city my engine locked up due to oil cap being broken. well that's what Mark had to say." Henry with a shocked look on his face responds. " Those fucking cowards were hoping your engine would have broke down and floated you away with the storm." Henry washes his hands in a washing sink. "We'll get them back for doing that to one of our own I promise they won't fuck around again."

Henry, Von and Sergal finish loading the boxes of cleaned fish back to cargo lift while Kenny sorted out the guts and left over fish parts. Some for bait and some bones big enough for tools and the rest that couldn't be used were put into fish feed buckets. " It's. Not the greatest smell but that stuff will have fish come along or some even bigger creatures. Ocean serpents are a tasty treat if we can catch one or manage to see one." Kenny started to wash his hands in the wash sink. "Let's eat!" Kenny followed David to the dinner table. David brought the pot of fish soup and placed it in the center and then walked to a cupboard to grab bowels and cups of water. He then sat and before Kenny could dish up David stopped Kenny "what why are you stopping me?" David closes his hands together then said "We must give thanks." David then started to Pray. "Thank you to the whale god for your grace and pity on us for your blessing of this fish we caught and were about to eat, we thank you for this gift of life, and for keeping us alive today in your blessing we thank thee for another blessed day."Kenny opens his eyes. " Can we eat now?" David smiles "yes we can eat." Kenny slurped up a spoon full. " Yummy that's really good!" David smiles "Told you about these recipes earlier I will show you in detail tomorrow how to make your very own fish soup." After the dinner Kenny helped David wash the dishes and pack his things up in the main room "You will get used to things around here Kenny.

I will show you your room area."

David started to walk up the stairs to the second level.

"This room here on the left is your's. Mine is down the hall and up the ladder, have a good night see you in the morning Kenny." Kenny responds "Alright David Good night."

Kenny unpacked his bedding in the hammock and looked out his window at the stars. Kenny cried in silence it was the first time Kenny ever had a bed, or a roof over his head.

End chapter 003 Stilted Waters Edge written by Travis Willier copyright 2021