The Monster Fish

Three children stood frozen on the shore, eyes wide with shock. They had never witnessed anything like this before.

Not far from them, a group of men flailed in the water—not playing, but *struggling*.

"Hold it! Use more force!" 

Jason shouted, spitting out water. He hadn't expected that even with four people, they still couldn't subdue the fish.

It was nearly two meters long and thrashing powerfully in the lake. In water, brute human strength was barely enough to compete. They simply weren't in the same league.

"Somebody hit it—go for the head!" Jason barked.

T scrambled to the shore, grabbed a stone, and with a grunt of effort, smashed it down on the fish's head.

A dull **thud** echoed across the water. Everything went still for a second, the only sound remaining that of men gasping for breath, their bodies soaked and exhausted.

"Quick! Get it out before it wakes up!"

Working together, Jason, Rick, Shane, and T dragged the massive fish onto the shore.

"This is a catfish," Shane said, collapsing onto the grass, breathless. "Biggest one I've ever seen."

The catfish was massive—nearly two meters long and easily weighing over 250 kilograms. Jason couldn't believe his makeshift harpoon had actually pierced it—right through the neck, near the gills. If his aim had been even slightly off, they would've lost it.

*(According to Baidu, catfish really can get that big.)*

"Oh my god…" 

The women on the shore gasped, hands covering their mouths. They had never seen such a gigantic freshwater fish. In the ocean, sure—but here?

Jason wiped the water from his face and stepped forward to inspect it. He nodded thoughtfully. 

"This lake's pretty isolated. No one comes out here. That catfish must have lived here undisturbed for years. Guess it just decided to stretch its fins today—and we happened to be waiting."

If fish could speak, this one might have shouted, *"What the hell, man? I was just out for a swim!"*

*Goodbye, Mom. I'm sailing off for good…*

Amy blinked a few times, then smiled slyly. "Looks like I won. That laundry's all yours this month."

"Are you serious?" Andrea groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Unbelievable…"

It was summer, and without a fridge, they had to act fast or the fish would spoil. The group spent the entire afternoon preparing it.

They dug a pit to bury the fish head, removed the organs, and saved the thickest parts for dinner—perfect for a hearty fish stew. The rest was sliced and arranged neatly on a handmade drying rack. They started a small fire beneath it, using grass to smoke the meat and make jerky.

Just as the sun began to dip, the hunting pair—Morgan and Daryl—returned from the woods, their haul impressive.

A freshly killed deer and a rabbit dangled from their packs, the results of a full day's hunt.

"What's that smell?" 

Daryl wrinkled his nose, walking toward the drying racks. "Fish? Damn, that's strong."

Glenn, returning with a bundle of firewood, answered enthusiastically. 

"Yeah, Jason and his crew landed a giant today. Catfish. Over two-fifty kilos. Two meters long."

"What?" 

Daryl's eyes widened as he turned toward Jason, who was resting nearby. "You serious? How'd you even catch something like that?"

Moore, Daryl's brother, jumped in to explain. He hadn't helped with the actual fight—mostly because he was afraid the fish would knock him unconscious—but he had watched the entire chaotic scene unfold.