Chapter 1

My dad caught a huge fish in the mountains. It was so big, its body swaying gracefully like a young girl.

That night, he stayed with the fish all night, never leaving the room.

When the men in the town found out about my dad's secret, they all showed up at my place, wanting a night with the fish.

*****

Dad caught a huge fish in the mountains. It was nearly as long as a grown woman, and its scales glimmered with iridescent colors, like silk in the sunlight. Everyone in the town gathered around to see it.

The fish lay on the ground, moving with the grace of a young woman. There was not a hint of the usual thrashing or panic we'd expect from a fish out of water.

Everyone started asking Dad if he was going to sell the fish or keep it for himself.

Dad said it'd be a shame to eat it alone. He planned to take it to the city the next day, figuring he could sell it for several hundred bucks.

Then someone in the crowd piped up, "How about each family chips in a bit and we buy your fish together? Let us try something new for once."

The crowd chimed in, "Yeah. You can sell it in town, but you can also sell it to us. We're all neighbors. Good stuff should go to us first."

Dad didn't hesitate. He told them to pay up and come over tomorrow for a fish feast.

Once the crowd dispersed, Dad placed the fish in a massive basket lined with thick plastic sheeting to hold water. The fish lay there quietly, not thrashing or making a fuss.

After my grandma passed away, her old room had been left empty and turned into a storage space. It was the perfect spot for the giant fish.

But after Dad put the fish in the storage room, he didn't come out for a long time. He even closed the doors and windows.

My mom told me to call Dad for dinner. I knocked for ages before he finally opened the door, looking annoyed. His face was all red, and he quickly locked the door behind him, making sure I couldn't see what was inside.

At dinner, Dad barely said a word. He wolfed down his food and left the table in a hurry. Then he slipped right back into the storage room.

That night, Dad didn't come to bed. He spent the whole night in the storage room.

*****

Early the next morning, a few guys from the town showed up at my place.

"Hey, Frank, when are we gutting that fish? We came to lend a hand," one of them shouted.

Dad stepped out of the storage room, locked the door behind him, and finally turned to talk to the men.

"I'm not selling the fish anymore. Here, take your money back," Dad said, digging the cash out of his pocket.

The men looked baffled and wouldn't take the money back, insisting they wanted the fish.

"We already paid. How can you back out now?" one of them protested.

Dad got flustered and shooed them away. "Go on, go on. I said I'm not selling it."

The men tried again, "Alright, if you're not selling it, at least let us see it. That fish is gorgeous. I've never seen anything like it in my life."

But Dad wouldn't even let them peek. He stood in the doorway, blocking them and pushing them away.

Tom Chavez pressed his face against the window, squinting through the curtain gap. Suddenly, he shouted, "Alright, Frank. So that's why you're not selling the fish. There's something hidden in your room. Guys, come check this out."

He dragged the others over to the window, and they all pressed their faces against the glass. When they caught a glimpse of the secret inside, they couldn't help but crack up.

They pulled Dad aside and started whispering, making plans. Before long, Dad willingly unlocked the door, let Tom in, and slammed it shut behind him.

A few minutes later, Tom came out with a look of pure satisfaction. Then the second guy went in, and after that, the third.

*****

From that day on, the men from town started flocking to my house. Dad stopped working and just stayed at home, waiting for them to show up.

He'd pocket their cash and let them into the storage room. Without exception, every guy who came out had a glow on his face.

Dad stopped sleeping in the bedroom, spending every single night in the storage room.

I asked my mom why Dad wasn't sleeping in the bedroom anymore.

She told me Dad had caught chickenpox, and since it was contagious, it wasn't safe for him to sleep in the bedroom.

Every day, she'd cook up potatoes, corn, and bread in the kitchen. No oil, no salt, nothing tasty at all. Then she'd bring the food herself straight to the storage room.

I asked who she was making it for, and she said it was for Dad. With chickenpox, he wasn't allowed to eat anything oily, salty, or with meat.

But to be honest, I didn't see any sign of chickenpox on Dad at all.

Was Dad making up the whole chickenpox thing to trick Mom?

*****

That day, Dad was in the storage room. He locked the door and closed the windows like always. While Mom was in the bathroom, I snuck over to the window and tried to peek inside.

I was dying to know what Dad was really up to in there.

Curtains were pulled tight, but I managed to peek through a little hole up top.

There was no sign of the fish, and even the basket it was kept in was gone as well.

All I could hear was a man panting and the bed creaking. Dad was in there, totally naked, doing something weird.

Beneath him seemed to lie a woman. Her long hair spilled over the headboard, and her arm hung limply off the side of the bed. She didn't move or make a sound, letting Dad move her around however he pleased.

I was so terrified that I burst into tears right then and there.