Scary Rednecks & Other Inbred Horrors Read Online Free Page B

big.”
    Trey watched his friend for a second and then glanced back at the fishing pole.   He let his eyes drift along the piling and for the first time, noticed there were bars jutting out from the sides; like those on telephone poles, but previously camouflaged by bits of seaweed and moss.   It was a huge fish, but ‘Jaws’ could never happen here.   All he had to do was climb down, cut the line and then get his reel back.   His dad was going to wonder where it was anyway, considering it was a Christmas present and Trey’s favorite gift.   If they went to the mountains next week, he would never be able to explain it away.
    “ Naw .   It’s okay.   The fish is gone.   I know that.   I’m just going to get the pole.   My father would kill me if I lost the whole rig.   Anyway, if he finds out it’s missing my parents will know what we did today.   And my parents will tell your parents and then we’ll be grounded from the lake all summer.”
    At the threat of grounding, Greg brought his head up sharply.   The lake was their life.   Trey watched as the emotions moved through his friend’s face.   Finally, his friend sighed and nodded his head slowly.
    “Okay, but hurry up,” said Greg in sotto voice.   “And be careful.”
    ‘Hurry up and be careful,’ thought Trey.   Those were two things that shouldn’t go together.   He wasn’t going to hurry, but he would certainly be careful.
    Trey paddled the canoe back up to the piling, the shadow of the dock placing them in darkness.   The smell of decay was strongest here.   He noticed the eddies of black oil and multicolored gasoline slick mixed with trash and the brown bubbles of pollution.   If the lake was Heaven, this was Hell.   Trey leaned past Greg and used the short length of rope attached to the front of the boat to tie it firmly into place.   He removed his tennis shoes and folded them, placing them on the seat.   He stood up and stared at the disgusting water, not wanting to enter, but needing the big catch.  
    “Alright.   Watch me, man.   Everything is gonna be okay.   I’m just going to get the rod and I’ll be right back up.”   Trey placed a hand on Greg’s shoulder.   “Stay cool.”
    With that, he placed a foot on the metal edge of the canoe and pushed off.   The water embraced him as he, feet first, sliced deeply from hot to cool water.   He pushed himself back to the surface and side-armed his way over to the piling.   Counting to three by thousands, hyperventilating, until his lungs were full, he descended pulling himself down using the slippery spikes.   The rod was deeper than he though, probably fifteen feet, but it was only seconds before he reached it.   Through the murky water, he saw the rod and the line wrapped around the piling six or seven times.   It was the heaviness of the line that had saved his reel.  
    The tugging had stopped, but he doubted the fish was entirely gone.   Maybe he still had a chance to catch it.   He really didn’t need to cut the line.   He could deceive the fish.   After all, he was human and he had superior brains.   Trey depressed the reel and let out about five feet of slack. Careful, as not to tug on the line still attached to the fish, he began to unwind the rod from the piling.   He was almost finished when he paused and returned to the surface.
    “What the hell are you doing, Trey?   I thought you were gonna cut the line.”
    Trey breathed heavily across the water and grinned.   “I got everything under control.   When I come back up, I’m gonna hand you the rod.   Hold onto it tight until I get back into the boat.”
    “Don’t do it, Trey,” begged Greg, his eyes beginning to tear up again.   “It’s too big.   It’s gonna eat you.”
    Trey watched his friend and almost called him a crybaby, but then he laughed.   “It’s not gonna eat me, Greg.   Don’t get your panties in a wad.   I got everything under control.”   He reached up and