Hatch of the Crabs

INTRODUCTION

The story named "Hatch of the Crabs" is about a red crab that discovers loneliness after being hatched in the Antarctic Ocean. After growing tired of the freezing temperatures Hatch travels north until his instincts take over driving him to search for a mate. Soon he comes to some mating grounds where he meets another blue crab female named Snatch who leaves with him in seek of their own home.

The two crabs are separated by a fisherman's net on an Irish fisherman's boat. Once they are separated Hatch decides to search the city for his mate. The story travels from the ocean floors of the Irish Sea to the city world. This journey deals with anthropology and cultural change as one crab treks the city limits and has to overcome obstacles while searching for his mate. Hatch and Snatch find trouble after nearing a school of sardines swimming around within a certain radius of closeness.

There is a Shamballa like Priest that leads him through wisdom in to his obsessive drive searching for her, although Hatch first see the Divine Shelled Tortoise Evil Shamballa under a dock where he calls Hatch over. And after taking his advice along with the advice of others, Hatch is slowed down by a psychic shrink who tells him many false truths and lies.

Then later he is cornered by her friend whore who he needs to overcome in order to finish his search. Of course, this psychic woman and her friend have their own personal plans for Hatch, though Hatch’s friends help save him in retrospect. However Hatch the red crab never gives up as he makes his way back to the shipping docks where he meets back up with Snatch in that closely tightknit arena.

The real trouble for him in the story comes when he gives up his search for her and decides to return back to the sea in order to find another mate. At this point he begins to realize his moral choice as he talks to himself in desperation about his internal need to answer his beckoning call before finally reuniting with his mate lover (Don't get crabby on me!).

PROLOGUE

The story begins with Hatch's blue crab mother thinking out loud while laying her eggs at her favorite breeding grounds. This is where she was brought forth in to this world herself. Once all of the eggs have survived her incubation and come forth to deliverance they all take off in scattered directions. Hatch is the most worried and as well scared to leave at first going off on his own. Nevertheless she persuades him that he must survive as a species on his own and that they are all the product of evolution and natural selection.

Patiently she explains the necessity of life and that his destiny in life is to find a mate. She also tells him a story about how her and his father met while island hopping. He leaves with the realization that there is a warmer climate north where he can find some mating grounds in order to carry on his ancestral blood. Along the way he meets a few friends to accompany him before meeting that special someone.

CHAPTER ONE

The story opens with the setting in the Irish Sea below the North Channel half way between Dublin and Belfast. The visuals begin at the bottomless water depths of the deep water coral reefs that have sprawled their way in configuration covering the sea floor in numerous decorations. Many of the coral reefs have formed over many millions of years from the sedimentation buildup of algae that have accumulated for years over years. Many of the algae colors used in this opening scene are red and green. The colors important in the world of our mother and father crab who will display the illuminations leading to the arrays of the Red and Blue crab that are key role characters in this story.

The mother crab is a female Red Queen Crab though the father crab is a male Golden King Crab. They have made their journey to their mating grounds of the deep reefs formed by coral and underwater formations. The job of mating has been in action as the Golden King Crab has finally entrapped the Red Queen Crab after much time of courting and instinct. The waters remain freezing cold. The temperatures drop radically as the waters flow their way south from the northern shores of the large land mass forming the North Pole.

The mother Red Queen Crab slowly crawls her way through the red and greenish coral reefs that help camouflage her from the many lurking predators. Once in her favorite placed formed and nurtured for her own comfort preparing for their nature, she nestles so patiently cuing to the father Golden King Crab to formulate their plan and course of sexual action by whispering, "I'm waiting!"

The father Golden King Crab inches his way over to her silently saying, "I'm coming, no need to rush me!"

Slowly she becomes concerned that his inner senses have come unglued cracking, "I'm not rushing you!"

"Since when should I have to cue you all of the time?" She quibbles softly back like a chattering lover of the ocean waters.

The father Golden King Crab crawls his way in closer telling her, "Since all of the years we have been meeting here every mating season!"

The mother Red Queen Crab realizes just how slow he has been becoming over the duration throughout their old scaled lives, "You need to be faster than that!"

The father Golden King Crab approaches her closer expressing his feelings, "It's not like I'm some Beach Crab on a towel somewhere enjoying a sunny hot day tanning in the sun. Making a joke he says, "Sex on the beach man…… Hey, let's wax our surf boards!"

The mother Red Queen Crab chuckles a moment or so chuckling, "You are such a jokester all of the time, we're in the Irish Ocean we aren't on an Australian Beach somewhere!"

The father Golden King Crab makes another silly comment speaking, "Since when have I been a beach crab anyway!"

"Maybe you're not, but your brother sure is a beach crab. He and his family are some of the worst beach crab bums I have ever heard of in these shores for that matter," she says trying to be as silly and Cornish as he has been lately.

"Now you are becoming as funny using Corn in your speech," the Golden King Crab relates back in a weird fashion.

The mother Red Queen Crab starts to grow to be more passionate all of a sudden mentioning, "The only Corn you'll be getting is that Corny love that's ready for you!"

The father Golden King Crab says with a manly like gasp of breath, "Wows' a!"

Without any further hesitation they both caress and begin to let the natures of their desire take its course of action. For a while longer they move in to position scampering around each other until one is on top of the other. Finally, they are both ready to mate and lay their nest that will ready to hatch a time from now. After a moment the father Golden King Crab becomes cramped making a squealing noise. The mother Red King Crab ponders over his actions for a brief jiffy asking, "What's the matter?"

The father Golden King Crab shakes it off telling her, "I dozed off for a moment!"

"Maybe you had a dream of some kind," she adds to their mating speech.

"A dream, me, don't be kidding," the father Golden King Crab replies in a sparing tone.

"What we're you dreaming this time?" She asks with a curious instinctive notion while laying their still and motionless.

"I was dreaming that I was on one of those vacation deals in the Caribbean Islands sipping some iced teas!" The father Golden King Crab describes for an explanation.

Making him feel more at home for the time being in retrospect the mother Red King Crab says diligently, "Your vacation deal is right here with me now! There are no Long Island iced teas, no strawberry margaritas, and definitely no sun tan oil for you to be styling. All you get is me and my crustaceous claws."

"I wouldn't say they are that crustaceous because our last hatch ended up a bunch of fiddler crab kids with replacement claws. Not even a pinch left for the ladies, huh!" The father Golden King Crab cracks as a funny whim.

"The next time we have little fiddlers I hope they become musicians and become famous," the mother Red Queen Crab adds as another funny line.

"Have we hatched anything yet or gestated?" The Golden King Crab says getting inpatient with the whole entire ordeal of mating.

"Hold your crab pincers! No there's nothing yet from our breeding. And by the way I don't gestate my eggs until the hatch, I incubate them for a few days," the female Red Queen Crab responds joyously.

"Well, wake me up in a few days after I hibernate for a while," the lazy Golden King Crab shuns being a bore of a mate.

"What an old time dreamer you are being again?" The cuddling and unconditional mother Red Queen Crab insinuates once again as the same scenario of the past mating years between the two of them over the past few generations.

Meanwhile they continue making quiet love in the form of a kind of trance like state similar to a sleep talk. Currents flow by constantly time after time again. Many different species of ocean life seem to paddle their way past through the trusted corals that abide their breeding home. One species of animal that nestled their way past making slight abruptions is the octopus that scampers its way near their nesting ground. The mother Red Queen Crab keeps as frozen as the red coral reefs that conceal its true identity from many mean ocean primordial hunters that threaten their ability to create new speciation.

Many of their species of crab ancestors are the result of island hopping from the ancient dawning times of the Cretaceous period when the first crab pinched its claws to life. The crab in a world of science has come a long way since the Devonian time beginning with the age of fish. The age of fish had come first before the spawning times of evolution brought about a way to pull itself ashore walking on land. The crab has had the benefit of evolution to carve it in to the planet of land and sea animals that has diversity like no other being adaptable to both. Most of the crab's best breeding foundations are possible because of the billions of years of algae build up from Stromatolites since the Pre Cambrian and Cambrian times.

As time goes by and more currents stream through their heritable domain, many sea monkeys and sea horses scatter around searching for anything to feed on. A percent of her eggs are mistakenly lost to scavengers, although the majority of them lies beneath her well crusted shell and bony skeleton like structure of a body.

For a brief moment there a lion fish apparently came too close for comfort. Its tentacles shocked an overwhelming feeling over her causing a pinching claw gut reaction that sent the striped fish in to a jolt of its own.

More tides ripple their way by as many more Suckerfish slurp over their nestled little fancy. Many more eggs are digested as the crabs tend to settle themselves again and again after every disruption. As every predator passes its way on through the coral reef of the unfathomable water depths of despair more time passes as the breeding comes to an end.

Devoid of any hint the first egg hatches as a baby crab makes its way from underneath the mother's bumpy belly and catches sight of the front of her sleepy like face. The crab speaks his very first word, "Momma?"

The mother Red Queen Crab looks over to the father Golden King Crab and nudges him with her right pincher telling him, "We have a hatchling!"

Rapidly the father Golden King Crab opens his eyes, and beholds a young crab hatchling stands before them with bubbles coming from his mouth like he had something more to say at that instant. Looking at the little hatchling from a bird's eye view the father Golden King Crab speak with pride bashing, "We can ex the stork, it looks like we have a little son!"

She strums her pinchers like that of a guitar and then like that of a fiddle softening their relationship by referring, "They don't have underwater sea storks anyhow! He looks like a mighty fine fellow, I wonder if he has any musical talents?"

The father Golden King Crab asks of him right away without waiting, "Are you another fiddler crab?"

The little crab hatchling sees a sea urchin float past the back wall scenery. Pointing with his little pincher like claws he toddles, "What's that?"

The mother Red Queen Crab doubts he knows what anything really is as of yet, "I doubt he even knows what a fiddle is yet!"

"Well, he's got a lot to learn yet!" The father Golden King Crab states as he thinks and ponders the situation at hand further.

The mother Red Queen Crab imagines that it is time for the father Golden King Crab to have a talk with his son. Wearisome and ready to grab a hold of her mate's attention the mother Red Queen Crab slurs, "Maybe it's time you had a talk with your son!"

"I think we should feed him first, too bad I didn't stop that sea urchin for his first meal," the father Golden King Crab adds as a mere past gone suggestion.

"Well, take him for a walk and teach him the lessons about life and find another sea urchin for him to prey on," the mother Red Queen Crab commands formally as if it were detrimental to the expectancy of the hatchling's crab's life.

"Shouldn't we have a name for our little crab son Hatchling?" The father Golden King Crab queries for a moment of time within his bony like mind.

"Hatch, that's it; we'll call him hatch because he is our first hatchling. In fact many of our eggs were eating by Suckerfish when we were asleep!" The mother Red Queen Crab scrambles trying to give him a name that sounds very intriguingly catchy.

"You don't think he's going to end up another one of those hermit crab we been having the last few breeding sessions?" The father Golden King Crab adds trying to bring some more of his disparaging humor to life.

"The only hermit is you until you take him out and send him on his way like a normal crab should be planning to do," she says trying to push him off right away.

"Cold hearted are we?" He says back to her with a slight claw of vengeance.

"Look Hatch! You are just better off on your own away from us. There's a large ocean arena that has much more to offer than us two lonely old bags in this world," the mother Queen Red Crab speeches to him like she is trying to bring about his lively instincts.

Hatch walks a little closer to her trying to cuddle, "Momma!" Hatch says as more eggs hatch until little offspring coming to life.

"I'll miss you to Hatch! Be careful out there, I'm about to have my hands full," she scampers as the father Golden King Crab takes him by the claw leading him away.

Pulling Hatch completely away from his mother the father Golden King Crab says to Hatch, "Let's leave your momma to do her abiding!"

"Papa," Hatch murmurs as they draw further and further away from his nestled home.

"We are going to have ourselves a little chat about our purpose in this life and how it relates to having a place of your own. And eventually you need to find yourself another crab like yourself. You will eventually find yourself a mate in which you can carry on our species," the father Golden King Crab lectures to him swiftly in an understanding tone.

"Huh," Hatch says trying to sink the words in to his newly formed crab brain of his.

"Are any of these words sinking in that I'm saying?" The father Golden King Crab says beginning to teach him how to express and correspond himself when he is out on his own.

"Uh huh," Hatch answers back in a soft perceptive tone of a voice giving him another short response.

"It's important that you learn how to communicate when you're out in the world trying to relate to others," his father Golden King Crab explains further to him as he approaches a nearby food source.

Approaching closer to a meal that he can feed to his son the father golden King Crab responds, "Here's what is called a sea urchin!"

The father Golden King Crab lifts his pincher trying to take a firm hold of it informing, "They are easy to catch because they are slow and plant like. Everything else is either a form of plant life or animal life that is found on the ocean floor. Most of the animal life is fish and a few other sea animal creatures. The larger fish are too hard to catch. When you get faster you can catch some of the other fish. Other than that there is seaweed which is another plant life that is easy to eat."

"Sea urchin," Hatch squeals watching as his father Golden King Crab tears pieces of the sea urchin for him to put in his mouth.

"You're speaking now, yes this is a sea urchin which is easy to eat," as he puts a piece in his mouth and then places one with his claw inside Hatches' mouth.

As Hatch begins to chew his father Golden King Crab lifts the sea urchin up and places it on over top of him showing his son how to carry it telling him, "But they are a little tricky to try and carry with you even when you're my size."

"Carry with you," he repeats shortly after his father Golden King Crab finishes his sentence thoroughly.

"You're getting the hang of things already. You're a fast learner," his father Golden King Crab jibbers momentarily while trying to hold it while taking a few measly steps.

"Fast learner," Hatch jousts being lightly apprehensive to his father's actions like he's waiting for something more to eat.

"You sure are," his Golden King Crab says wanting to lift his spirit giving him the strength to carry on by himself.

"Sea urchin, eat," Hatch says stuttering a few words out to display his hunger.

"Have more," his father Golden King Crab says as he drops the sea urchin and claws off another piece putting it in to Hatches' mouth.

"Is it good?" His father Golden King Crab asks as his son Hatch swallows another mouth full of his very first meal.

"Good," Hatch sighs as he chews down another mouthful that fulfills his hunger pains of the first time.

"You want more?" Hatches father Golden King Crab asks as he takes a bit more for himself.

"More," Hatch copies mimicking every understandable word that he hears coming from his mouth.

"You want more you say?" His father Golden King Crab iterates.

"Want more?" Hatch mimics trying to get even more of his language down so that he can correspond with him more.

"Want more," Hatches mocks once again being very easy to get along with as the first hatchling.

"If you keep learning from me like you are you be able to make it on your own so that we can go back and carry on our tradition," his father Golden King Crab tells Hatch.

"Keep learning and carry on tradition," Hatch imitates trying to be as fluent as his father Golden King Crab is with his communing.

"See if you keep learning from me you'll know how to go off on your own and find yourself someone to mate with and live happily ever after," his father Golden King Crab gapes trying to go further with his connection to his son.

"Find yourself someone to mate with and live happy," Hatch says trying to sound like his father Golden King Crab.

"I already have someone, you say 'Find myself someone to mate with and live happily ever after' when referring to yourself. When I talk I say 'myself' when referring to your own self," he explains to Hatch teaching him how to speak and relate to others.

"Find myself someone to mate with and live happily ever after, I say when talking about myself," Hatch personates making it clear that he is learning and catching on completely with his father Golden King Crab's lessons of life and how to express yourself utterly.

His father the Golden King Crab is very delighted that Hatch is very smart compared to many of the little hatchlings he has had in the past several years or so. Many of the other hatchlings left unprepared and have been eaten or couldn't defend themselves from predators. Very few of a crab's offspring tends to survive on their own. That why this particular Golden King Crab tries to mingle with his first so that he can give the future of his brood an instinct to make it on his own.

Many of the other crab which includes many other species around the globe leave their eggs to hatch on their own leaving them vulnerable to tragedy. This tends to be the same manner with sea turtles he normally make their way ashore to lay their eggs leaving their offspring to hatch and defend themselves by the dozens. Once they emerge hatching from their shell the sea turtles scatter off in different directions making their way back out to sea. Most of them start swimming past the waves which only carry them back and forth causing them the beginning of a tragic life of survival. Only a small number actually survive and become smart enough to make it by themselves guaranteeing them a future with the same fate.

"The reason I'm spending some extra time with your personal is because you seem to have an instinct like seen in no other. Many of our offspring that leave in the different scattered directions never make it. Most of them just crawl off like a crawl-dad and hide under a rock until someone or something trudges over their nestled home," he expound to Hatch in a comprehensible way that he can appreciate.

"I understand kind of what you are saying; I knew that was my momma when I hatched kind of like I knew everything already. You're saying that I have an instinct from you and momma and that my crab brothers and sisters are going to split and I'll never see any of them anymore anyhow, right?" Hatch rambles on giving his father Golden King Crab an appreciation for his efforts at raising and bringing forth a stronger and smarter crab in to his nest.

Now he feels even more confident that his litters will be smarter from now on and maybe they will have a better chance at surviving. There will hopefully be more hatchling within his offspring that he can relate to giving more hope to his children of the upcoming. Going further with his sons wits and smarts his father Golden King Crab articulates to Hatch, "So you realize that I am just aware that you are the most ambitious of the group this time around?"

"Yes, I'm ready to go out on my own and explore this strange world of ours. There is someone out there that I must find from my past crab life," Hatch unfolds making his father Golden King Crab aware that he knows what his purpose in this life really happens to be in this extraordinary habitat of ours.

"And who is that?" His father Golden King Crab queries wanting to know more about his so smart and enlightened adolescent in order to get to know him better.

"Her name was Twist," Hatch pronounces to him trying to remember vaguely.

"And why did you call her that?" His father Golden King Crab asks wanting to hear more of his story.

"Her parents named her Twist because she was always twisting and turning making up her own songs at night. It became pretty annoying sometimes when trying to sleep from being really tired," Hatch says giving away more details about his past reincarnated crab life.

"Oh well, sounds like she at least had a personality you could relate to," his father Golden King Crab carries saying within the conversation with Hatch.

"Yes, Twist had more than a personality," Hatch says as his father Golden King Crab hands him the last of the sea urchin that he caught up to that past the nest at an earlier time.

"So what happened to the two of you, do you remember?" His father Golden King Crab asks with a very keen sense of longing for his delighted story.

"We went traveling all over the world looking for a place to settle down. We were looking for a place all alone from the other mean predators that the world has within it every nook and cranny. We were searching many islands within the tropics around the equator. Eventually we found one and nestled there," Hatch narrates as a long and informative story of his perplexed life with a mate of his choosing.

"What were the tropics like when you were living there?" His father drills from him with a curiosity to his narrative.

"It was okay when the weather was clear. However there were lots of tropical storms and hurricanes that tore the island up leaving plenty of waste to scavenge and feed from," Hatch says giving his father Golden King Crab more to go on when he heads back to the nest to care for the others within his home within the red and green coral reefs.

"Well, the weather up here isn't like that. It's much colder than down there," his father Golden King Crab informs his son Hatch as he finishes up the very last scrapings of the sea urchin.

Speaking a little more his father Golden King Crab says, "Well, that's the last of the sea urchin. Do you think you can manage on your own?"

"Yes, I guess it's time for you to head back to the nest with momma. What's wrong with her anyway? She seems so pushy and disarticulated?" Hatch correlates to his father Golden King Crab.

"She just has a lot of tending and thinks that I should have more responsibilities along besides her. That's why I'm spending time and special attention with you here and now," his father Golden King Crab denounces as a sort of task.

"What will you do when you get back?" Hatch asks as he wonders what it's like to be a father role model for a moment or so.

"Probably will have my hands……. I mean claws full of little wanderers! His father Golden King Crab gives for an answer with a little satirical humor added.

"Why are you calling them wanderers?" Hatch discloses as he questions his father golden King Crab's whimsical notion.

"Because most of the times they just scatter off in different directions and never seem to even take the time to even glance back," his father Golden King Crab displays theoretically as a thoughtful jester.

"That's too bad," Hatch scrambles up real quick as some final last words.

"Take care of yourself Hatch," his father Golden King Crab says as he turns to leave heading back to his mate waiting back at his breeding spool.

Hatch stands their motionless for a flash before lisping, "I will!"

Hatch continues to remain there while his father slowly fades out of the scene. Getting nervous and paranoid Hatch starts to follow in his father's steps being pressed with the inept inability to be on his own. After following back for a while Hatch approaches the nest once again from a distance as many of his siblings scuttle off in all directions. Watching for a short time Hatch starts to feel like he should move on and leave his elders alone with their handy work.

He gets the urge to be the one to stand out different from the others as he gazes their departure. Slowly he turns and leaves. He heads back the way he came when he first left with his father the golden King Crab. Eventually he makes his way back to the original spot his father had left him. For another jiffy he stops and thinks about which way he should go. Before too long a creeping squealing sound emerges as his family begins to catch up from the remoteness.

Soon they pass Hatch up as he poses there still and unnoticed by them both as if he doesn't yet exist. Thinking and contemplating to himself Hatch decides to follow one of them out of his own curiosity. Before too long he has nearly caught up to his comrade brother, although he stays back a slight distance trying to be unseen. The other crab has picked up the pace almost like he is on an undertaking and knows exactly where he's going.

Hatch keeps up the pursuit while thinking to himself, "Boy is this one on a mission to somewhere or something!"

Nevertheless Hatch has no idea where his link is headed or what to expect from following him. So far it's just a curiosity that hopefully makes him realize that he won't ever feel or become lonely knowing that the others have left carelessly like. Nonetheless he feels it's his duty to cure his inner desire to know more about what his father has to deal with so when his time comes he'll be more prepared.

Prepared to teach his young or maybe even just one of them is fine by him considering that this was the way he was raised. Believing that your purpose will come out like some sort of copy that does exactly what is it should according to its instinct.

As Hatch keeps on with his dealing he notices something else lurking and swaying side by side in the back ground within the coral reefs that drop their way down to a sandy graveled bed. Taking a glance at the distraction Hatch notices a ray of blue light shining from its scaly and wavering body.

Hatch takes another gleam forward towards his fellowship while stopping to a complete halt. As Hatch stares the side winding motion of an electric eel zooms in for the kill. Without being of any help Hatch can only watch helplessly as his seeding crab kin is devoured like a small nibbling meal.

Trying to keep up the idea of staying hidden and unobserved, Hatch waits watching the enemy scurry away out of total sight. Frozen in fear Hatch continues to stare in the abyss that has now left him alone and confused. The water and life around him now feels very desolate as he begins to realize just how fragile this life actually is in reality. For a moment he is unable to move from a pinching and paranoid feeling within his nerves that has come over him all of a sudden.

After remaining their motionless for an instant he begins to come to with a desire to turn the other way and flee the scene just in case the unknown creature comes back over in return. However he is confused as to what direction to go. Then after another instant he turns and sees another one of his kin approaching slowly. This time he feels like this is his chance to make contact and prevent another fatal catastrophe.

Nevertheless in the back of his mind he feels the propelling urge to turn back and head back to the nest despite the fact that he feels like a nuisance and as well a burden. Then as quick as a splitting impulse Hatch lunges himself forward and yells, "Hey, stop, wait, that's the wrong way!"

The kindred crab obviously didn't hear anything because he kept his full force blasting right past Hatch. But Hatch is a little faster he thinks as he takes a fast leap towards him and grabbing his claw repeating, "Hey, that's the wrong way!"

The new crab pushes away saying, "What do you know?"

"There's something else lurking around that way," Hatch informs with a strong persuading tone of voice.

The crab of kin answers back saying, "There's something lurking everywhere out here!"

Hatch immediately lets go and leaves him to keep on with his feisty travels. The crab marches on to a different path than Hatch as he drifts out of range. Hatch stays there for another moment and then turns around belittling the others strewing, "The heck with any of them even though they seem to be smart and talk. I guess it's better if I just stay on my own and take some chances."

Turning around the other way once again Hatch takes another quick peek towards the other crab realizing that he is completely out of sight. Wanting to flee the near area Hatch turns around all of the way and leaves saying, "I suppose it's a bad idea to go back to my family either, I guess I'm on my own."

"Maybe it's better if I stay careful and search for Twist if that's her name this time around. Who knows maybe she has a better name to go by. Who gives a hoot, just get out there and find her," Hatch thinks to himself out loudly sort of like.

"The best way to find her is to find the island we lived on in the last life. I never thought I'd be a crab again. I've been so many anyhow. I was hoping to be something else like a sea turtle or maybe yet ray fish," Hatch slangs while ponder over the mere fact.

"We're a little far north to make it to that island I think if I'm right. Well, let's just start moving south which is precisely the other way from where I don't want to go anyhow," Hatch adds to talking to himself.

"I wonder how long it would take to get there, if I can even find the place," Hatch mumbles to himself once again trying to keep the idea fresh on his little overly developed mind of his.

"Hopefully, we're going in the right direction," Hatch says while entering a narrow reef along a path heading passed some rocks forming the start of a canyon. He stops wondering if he should go straight or make his way around. Slowly he scatters forward a little ways and stops again.

"That way looks a little dangerous. It's sort of dark and spooky and there's a lot of lift further in. Maybe I should go around this way following this trail of sea shells forming a sandy bottom," Hatch informs himself as he compares both ways he see to go.

"Let's go this way because it looks a lot safer. Also there will be more opportunities to find something to eat this way because there's a lot to scavenge," Hatch declares as he turns and begins walking once again.

Quickly he continues his way around the back end of a large reef forming in to a narrow dark canyon which he thinks is a good place for more dangerous creatures to be lurking such as the electric eel he had before came across. He feels that there are even more enemies as far as the dangerous species of ocean creatures are wholly concerned. He wants to avoid all troubles as much as possible in order to reach his destination. The ocean world is full of depth and space and he is separated from his mate by the dawning times of the time and space that separates them both.

After heading further and further away from the canyon walls that were to unrevealing to encounter in his voyage Hatch notices that there are more and more sea shells piling up the further and further he travels. Moving along thinking quietly to himself he sees something moving in the afar off distance. He stops for a second taking a glance with his eyes fixed on the object.

From the spot he is sitting it looks like a shell sliding or skidding across the sandy sea bottom. Gleaming at the shell he sees some legs creeping out past stealing ground slightly fast at hand. Immediately Hatch decides to try and catch up to what to him may now appear to be an ocean hermit crab of some kind. Hurriedly, he starts once again getting back on the move. As fast as he can pick up the pace a little bit faster he heads towards the moving sea shelled object.

Inside of a few more yards he comes nearer to the supposed ocean hermit crab yelling, "Hey, stop!"

The other unknown stranger crab keeps up the move as though he didn't hear him. Either way Hatch keeps on the pursuit coming as close as he can crawling besides the stubborn sea animal. Moving alongside the other crab Hatch asks, "Can you hear me, what kind of crab are you?"

The other crab continues on the move not replying back to Hatch. Hatch keeps up the walk next to him asking once again, "Can't you hear me, what kind of crab are you?"

Again the other shelled crab gives no response as he keeps on the crawling effort to wherever he is going or headed. Hatch stays right with him exasperating another line asking, "Are you some type of hermit crab or something?"

This time the shelled crab looks and says, "I am an ocean hermit crab. I don't like to talk much to strangers. Where are you headed to?"

"I'm headed to an island that I had once lived on before in a past life," Hatch articulates to the ocean hermit crab wondering if he'll think he is crazy and as well absurd.

"Where was the island at?" The Ocean Hermit Crab queries wanted to know more about his future quest and venture.

"That's the problem; I don't really know exactly where the island is at anymore. It has been a long, long time since I have been there," Hatch says as he recalls as much as he possibly can without thinking way too hard."

"Did you live there by yourself?" The ocean hermit crab says wondering more looking for another way to help Hatch.

Hatch twitches his claws with a surge of excitement as he tells him, "No, actually I lived there with my mate."

"And what was her name, do you remember?" The ocean hermit crab inquiries seeping out the bonding lost love once in his life.

"Her name was Twist, and before that her name was Twitch, I guess," Hatch says getting anxious to get back to his venturous travels.

The Ocean hermit crab rubs his face with his larger claw that is bigger than the other in order to protect and covet him from the outside, "Well, one way to find the island would be probably to find her first. Then you could always find any other island to suit your needs."

"Why is that?" Hatch asks with a confused like look upon his face.

"That's because it would be easier to find her than the island. And you aren't even sure if she will be there herself," the ocean hermit crab instructs using his wise sense of wisdom.

"And how should I go about finding her?" Hatch interrogates out of a desperate and curious measure.

"The best advice I can give is to introduce yourself to the first female crab you come across that is your kind and that doesn't mean that they will be your age either. She could be younger or maybe even older. There's a chance that she may even be of the same age," the wise ocean hermit crab proclaims to Hatch as an anecdote for success with his relationship.

Hatch kind of gets the drift from his sure knowledge before adding, "That makes a lot of sense, I suppose."

The ocean hermit crab then redeems some more knowledge saying, "Another fact is that you'll know immediately if it's her or not. Go by your first instincts."

"You sound like you are experienced, are you in a relationship?" Hatch inquests marveling his sex life so to speak.

"I'm a hermit crab, I don't need a relationship. I stay by myself. That's why I'm wise because I don't have to mess around with anybody this time. Things were different when I was a beach crab hitting on all of the babes," the ocean hermit crab carries on telling his story.

"It sounds like you know what you are talking about," Hatch compliments his divine authority to connecting with the opposite genders.

"Sure I do, now be on your way before she passes you up and then you'll never see her again," the wise ocean hermit crab commands so that his wisdom is never ever wasted and so he can live to his fullest extent and expectation to helping others.

Hatch then takes his advice and begins to walk away as the ocean hermit crab starts to head in the direction he was headed before running in to Hatch the crab.

CHAPTER TWO

Hours and hours go by and Hatch the Crab has ventured a long distance since he has heard the last of anybody's advice. So far there hasn't been anything but more piles of emptied shells of all different sizes, shapes, and colors giving him something to look at for scenery along the way. As he furthers himself he sees a shivering like image behind some rolling mounds of hills that meander off in to another coral reef.

Quickly he moves forward a few more paces as something scurries away towards the greenish tainted coral reef that is emerged at a shallow depth from the ocean's surface. For a lapse of time he stops and watches where the unknown sea being is on its last legs. It seems to him that there is possibly a chance that it was another type of crab lurking around in these parts. Slowly he brings himself closer with a faster pace trying to make contact with another one of his species.

As he enters the coral reef he sees another baby crab dart off along with a few other stragglers nearby. As quick as a flash he nears himself to the baby crab as he continues to try and out ditch Hatch. Soon enough he catches up and yells, "Hey stop, wait a minute!"

The hermit crab looks but fails to stop saying, “I’m in a hurry!”

Hatch asks promptly about where he is headed, “Where are you headed so fast?”

The hermit crab speaks while crawling at a faster pace telling Hatch, “I’m looking for a new place!”

Hatch gets a curiosity about the fast moving hermit crab that seems to be in a bit of a hurry. Questioning the hermits crabs authority Hatch asks, “Where’s that at?”

The hermit crab inquiries explaining to him, “Just up ahead!”

Immediately after the hermit crab makes his quick comment out loud to him, Hatch looks around while hearing some faint noises of congregation. Hatch keeps up the following pace in order to stay within a close distance. Even though it seems that he walks much faster than the other crabs he has encountered in the past.

Hatch begins walking once again checking the scenery out from top to bottom. After a while he heads upon another reef that has a large line on one side and a larger line on the other side. He stops to take a look for a moment. The line on the left is waiting for a fight to break out between two hermit crabs. One of the hermit crabs is getting bigger ready to move out of the shell it’s in because it’s too big now

Not to mention the mere fact that there is another gastropod shell just waiting for the taking that only he can fit in to. However the other hermit crab is in a hurry to snag up his shell once he moves in to the other shell. Hatch continues his approach even though there is lots of spectacle happening as he nears the scene.

Looking to the other side Hatch sees another line that has some Cleaner fish keeping up the great service at one of his stations. The grungy fish known as Cleaner Wrasses takes the station by storm shrilling, “Next!”

Another bright yellow angel fish swoops in for a clean; nevertheless he gets cheated by having a sucking of a kiss taking from her face gawking, “I’ve been cheated. “Is that all you got, you big two timer.”

Meanwhile, another fish pushes over the bright yellow angel fish commanding, “I’m next, get a load of him!”

The salt water clown fish scammers, “He could suck a salt water loach from your rear.”

The Cleaner Wrasses fish answers back boldly, “Aw, buzz off you whining freeloaders!”

Continuing on with the bragging the Cleaner wrasses ads a line commenting, “Wait your turn and don’t cut in line. I have business to contend with!”

Hatch looks away from the clean station back over to the line of hermit crabs waiting in line for whatever shells they can dig up. It seems the one hermit crab has left and moved on to bigger things. The other crabs showed and displayed a little bit of violence, nonetheless another hermit crab has done the abiding and reaped the awards of what looks to be condominium compared to the studio sized shell he had prior to the exchange. It’s like a chain of events heading down the line of evolution that’s taking hand. This shows how the evolution of economics is arrayed when it comes to such realities as supply and demand.

Finally Hatch looks away realizing he’ll never have to worry about that any way as far as he is concerned being a Red King Crab of the sort. He doesn’t have to scrounge around for anything to trade in for a bigger one that he lives in. As far as he’s concerned he should just blow this Popsicle stand. Walking past the grumpy cleaning station of the depths of the sea, Hatch takes another look ahead trying to mind his own business when suddenly a voice penetrates his ears on one side. The voice is that of a females yelling, “You who, hey, you there. Why don’t you come up here for a little while?”

Hatch looks around the coral reef somewhat seeing nothing but other fish arriving to get in the cleaning line. Another moment later he hears a female’s voice again quill, “Here I am, up here! Don’t you want to keep me company?

Hatch looks upwards to where he thinks the voice has descended noticing a female Blue Queen Crab perching on the coral reef staring him down from claw to legs. Hatch becomes a little bit nervous before answering, “I guess so, why not?”

Hatch tries to make his way closer but it seems like there are some rough steps with large spaces in between. Hatch makes a few steps and stops trying to make the next step. Then all of a sudden the female Blue Queen Crab jumps down a coral or two shrilling, “Don’t come to me, I’ll come to you!”

Immediately she seems the opposite of a push over. To Hatch she seems like a pushy female as she plops her large crab body right next to him. Right off of the bat she turns to the large scene upon the reef ready to make some comments about what she thinks of the mascaraed somewhat.

Looking at Hatch and back to the crowd the female Blue Queen Crab relates, “So what do you think of this nonsense. We had one line of hermit crabs waiting for another crab to pick a bigger home so that they can move in to his old one. If I wanted to carry my home with me it would have to be the size of beach so that I can take a bath when I want to anytime. If I wanted some big ugly sucker fish to lick me clean I would at least want some foreplay. Wouldn’t you? Oh you’re a male crab what do you care, huh?”

Dominating the conversation she asks, “So what’s your name?”

Hatch answers swiftly and quickly, “My name is Hatch!”

Thinking about how cute his name is the female Blue Queen Crab says, “That rhymes with my name!”

Hatch asks her calmly, “What is your name?”

The female Blue Queen Crab queries Hatch’s notion speaking, “My name is Snatch!”

Hatch can only chuckle for a second or so before replying, “And what kind of name is that?”

Snatch chuckles back swiftly answering, “Like I said I am a rhymer I told you!”

Hatch gets anxious to see what she’s about by commanding, “Let’s blow this coral reef and take a stroll!”

Snatch chuckles once again implying, “So what’s the plan? Should we head off to make a nest and lay some eggs somewhere?”

Hatch ponders her comment for a moment or so anticipating, “Maybe, we should look for an island somewhere and settle down on the beach.”

Snatch walks ahead of him in the lead like she knows where she’s going saying, “Sounds like a great idea with a sense of Déjà vu.”

Hatch becomes a little bit confused answering back, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Snatch tries to explain things to him a little better so that he understands their purpose together telling him, “That means that we were meant for each other.”

Hatch is still confused asking her, “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

Snatch tries to enlighten reality to him further clarifying, “What I mean is that we were together before in the past.”

Hatch starts to remember her slightly desiring more information, “Then what was your name?”

Snatch tries to make a riddle for him bringing her name to mind without saying the name out loud to see just how inquisitive he happens to be with their relationship, “Well, my last name was a dancing name that provoked me to sing and dance to entertain you all of the time.”

Hatch can’t seem to help himself shrieking her past name out with a sense of appreciation to their being together again, “Then what letter did your name start with?”

Snatch doesn’t really have to think about that question to long shrilling to him, “My name started with a “T,” do you remember what my name was that I used before in the past?”

Hatch decides to just blurt her name out really quick speaking, “Your name was Twist before and we lived on an island on the beach.”

Snatch can’t believe just how smart he is at recalling the past telling him, “Well, there’s nothing left for me to say to you. There’s nothing in the USA we’re heading to the Irish Shores. Do you still think back to another time when we were having a good time?”

Hatch thinks back for a moment to the previous times together with the inquisition, “I remember having fun together with all of the playing around we did laying-back having a blast.”

Snatch can only chuckle for a second displaying a sense of reminiscing adding, “Lying around huh. We were busy making laying eggs making puppies.”

Hatch chuckles for a second exasperating, “Making puppies? You sound like a dog in heat for some reason.”

Snatch realizes he does have a sense of humor in that thick scaly crab shell that he doesn’t need thinking like a hermit, “You’re funny. At least you are funny in a way.”

Hatch is humble with the mere fact that he is in with her company telling her, “Well, at least I didn’t have to search far for my mate. You are here and I am here and we are finally back together again!”

Snatch makes a sort of negative comment shrilling, “At least you don’t think that I’m wasting your time when you could have stayed alone with the regrets of wording with a bunch of other female crabs that weren’t right for you. I thought when I waited for you that you would think I was a parasite just simply wasting your time!”

Hatch understands her completely conjuring up the appropriate conversation, “What did you think I was some chump who would become your enemy before seeing my crab face up close and personally like?”

Snatch walks on further in to an ocean area where the reef ends and there is nothing but stretches of sand lining the bottom of the sea for miles answering, “I thought that you would be zealous of my violent mind making you my enemy for all of the miseries of my singing to entertain you as my mate!”

Hatch takes a look ahead biting himself at the long view of stretches of sand that lead the way. Staying in the conversation hoping she knows the way to their place of refuge Hatch declares, “Is this the right way?”

Snatch tries to calm his nerves by inquiring of Hatch, “Well, bite your lip; you want to find our paradise don’t you?”

Hatch agrees with her fully wanting find the place and abode of their abiding saying, “Sure, we must carry on with the seeds of our progeny to carry on our kinship.”

Snatch thinks to the nest of their preservation summing up, “Remember this is a world where only the strong survive. Survival of the fittest is what my parents always told me, but I think they are wrong. It’s the existence of our evolutional behaviors which will carry on to our offspring making a mark in these waters not by just mere chance, but by destiny.”

Hatch tries to be a smart ass by summing up a line of wits gabbing, “Remember this is the age of aquarium, not the “Age of Aquarius.”

Snatch laughs and snickers again beckoning, “Well, this is one heck of a large aquarium, don’t you think? By the way we’re moving in to the Age of the Tiger if you haven’t noticed.”

Hatch makes a short reply to her response tallying, “No, I haven’t noticed. What’s a tiger anyway?”

Snatch tries to explain what a tiger is by using Tropical fish elucidating, “Well, let’s think in terms of tropical fish which will make it easier to understand. It’s the “Age of the Tiger Barb.”

Hatch has never seen any tropical fish but acts like he understands anyhow, “Gotcha!”

Snatch and Hatch begin to crawl along the sand which stretches past their eyes seeing distance. Snatch thinks about what more he could say to Hatch to get to know him better elucidating, “You have to understand astrology a little evening we can’t see the stars at night from down here.”

Hatch thinks back a comeback to say chuckling, “It’d not like we’re a bottle of Star olive or something like a shooting star!”

Soon they approach a group of King Crabs running in a large group passing by at a farther distance. Snatch mentions this saying, “Look at all of the King Crabs darting by really fast. I wonder where they are headed in a hurry!”

Hatch has a slight answer saying, “Maybe, they are running from something!”

Snatch makes a blurting comment, “It may be some crab fishers!”

Hatch decides that they should stay by themselves and away from the school of crabs darting by like a swordfish on a mission or something telling her, “We should stay over her then and not get caught up by them.”

Snatch ponders over being caught by a crab cage, “I don’t want to get caught in a crab cage by mistake!”

Hatch adds a smarty remark saying, “Either do I, who wants to be made in to a crab meal?”

Snatch brings forth a joking line enlightening, “They’ll make crab cake out of them if they aren’t careful.”

Up ahead they see a horde of sardine fish grouping together ahead swimming back and forth really fast like they may be mating for the instinctual moment. Snatch is the first to notice the school of sardines up ahead as they make their way closer. Snatch speeds up like it was their lucky meal to stumble onto without having to look very far. Bringing them to attention Snatch says, “Look, what an imprecise delight. There are a bunch of sardines ahead!”

Hatch wonders what they are considering he has never had a sardine before. Asking about them Hatch asks, “What is a sardine?”

Snatch explains them a little further saying, “A sardine is a herring which is a fish that is small and hard to catch unless they are in a swarming group like they are now.”

Hatch gets anxious to try and catch one exiting, “Well, let’s try and catch one!”

Snatch starts to walk slower trying not to frighten them all exhilarating, “Go slow, don’t scare them!”

Hatch starts to slow down right behind her without walking over her telling her, “Okay, I’ll slow down and walk right behind you.”

As they approach the one sardine that looks like the head looks and says to the others, “Look there are some crabs approaching!”

Another sardine looks and says, “Let’s tease them and lead them along a ways!”

The head sardine looks and laughs, “What a great idea? We’ll tire them out a bit!”

The group of sardines tries to out swim the both of them by straddling their fins away from them leading them further in to the flat lands of sand that line the bottom of the ocean floor. Snatch looks at the bunch of sardines trying to swim away at the same speed that they are approaching gasping, “They saw us. I hats sardines they are so fast and smart.”

Hatch thinks about still trying to catch up saying, “Well, don’t give up. We’re heading that way anyways!”

Snatch continues heading towards them answering, “I’m not giving up. They are just so hard to catch sometimes. I don’t me to whine at you all at once!”

Continuing on the struggle Hatch decides he thinks they are avoiding them saying, “They are a tricky type of fish, huh?

Snatch keeps the mustering forward adding, “They are, maybe we should give up? Anyhow I am just a blue crab who is one of those whining singing fools.”

Then all of a sudden there is a noise from up a head coming from the direction of the sardine school that is sporadically swimming around ahead of them. Replying to her negative comment Hatch discloses, “You’re no fool!”

Snatch looks ahead past the group of sardines but doesn’t see anything saying, “Did you hear that?”

Hatch replies back the best he can answering, “No, I didn’t hear anything!”

Out of nowhere a large net comes from the other direction sliding across the sandy bottom making a loud huge screechy sound. Hatch looks back and doesn’t seem to see anything in sight. Then he looks over to the side and sees something approaching fast from another direction.

Without a chance or moment to spare even a split second to avoid danger the schools of sardines are swooped up in their direction before they even have time to dodge the net by chance. Snatch herself becomes caught in the net barely as Hatch escapes its baring grasps hardly. It happens so fast that Hatch barely clings on the net trying to stay along with Snatch. While hanging on the net is lifted and carried along the ocean’s sandy floor for a little ways longer. Then it is raised from the depths below until it nears closer and closer to the ocean’s surface above. Holding on close to Snatch the best that he can while clinging on to the net, Hatch says “We’re going up for some strange reason!”

Snatch replies fast like saying, “I think we’re caught in some fish catching net!”

Hatch thinks about hanging on and nothing else answering back, “I won’t stop hanging on no matter what! Maybe we could use our claws to cut our way free?”

Snatch tries to hold on to Hatch tighter and tighter by grasping onto his pincher claws saying, “Don’t let go whatever you do!”

Hatch continues to hold on the best he can as the sardine fish net slides over the side of the ship onto the deck. When the sardine net slid over the side Hatch lost his grip and fell onto the deck after letting go while trying to hold on the his best. Keeping his eye on the sardine fishing net he sees Snatch empty out onto the deck along with the school of sardines flapping around on the deck as they slide down to a lower level below the ship’s deck. There are also many sardines lying on the deck that seem to be dead.

Hatch starts walking in that direction jousting, “Looks like I have to step and crawl over what was supposed to be my meal ticket, a bunch of dead sardines!”

He continues to watch for Snatch who seems to be sliding along with the sinking sardines that are sliding far below. Immediately he tries to crawl faster with no prevail as Snatch disappears from out of sight. Then suddenly he sees a sea urchin lying on the deck which he takes trying to carry. He hears the shot of a flare which lights up the sky to prevailing clouds that glow in a thunderous roar. The sea urchin blocks his grab from one of the fisherman. He slips away while the fisherman falls over on his back trying to grab Hatch though he slips on the sea urchin falling flat. Hatch makes a dart for it over the side of the ship through a water outlet used to drain the deck from overflowing water. He squeezes through just at the moment that another fisherman gives him a slight kick of the ship’s deck with his rubber boot.

He slides out along with a few sardines that are washed off from the deck by accidental coincidence. He hits the roaring ocean waves floating his way back to the far deep depths below. Taking a while as the sight becomes darker and darker he watches the ship’s ballast strut away becoming farther and farther in the distance as he sinks further below. Finally he reaches the bottom of the ocean’s sandy floor with fear and confusion trying to muster what has just happened in the last few startling moments.

Once he reaches the bottom he wonders what will happen to her walking ahead a little ways in that direction. After a while of crawling he comes across a ship wreck with a welding light up ahead. He approaches closer with the view of an underwater suit welding something on the sunken ship that is lying ahead of him. He sees the individual stop welding and grab nearby passing lobster as he tries to cut something using the lobster’s claw.”

Hatch looks as he passes by in that direction talking to himself saying, “Doesn’t that look familiar!”

Then he looks again and turns yelling, “Hey, Buster! You’re wasting your time like that!”

The underwater welder looks while holding the lobster claw and waves his hand for Hatch to keep going while some voices murmur from the helmet of the underwater suit. Bubbles blow by like he was trying to say something.

Looking at the scene Hatch decides to turn and stop for a moment to observe for a moment while saying, “Trying to cut things with some Lobster claws, huh!”

“Maybe, if I had bigger claws I could have saved her.” Hatch says as he turns away and heads off in the direction that the ship was heading when he was slipped off.

Heading through the sandy stretches ahead in that direction Hatch says, “I wonder what shipping dock and what city those sardines are heading to. I hope she gets out somehow. Maybe they won’t want her and throw her back.”

“That was a sardine ship with lots of dead ones on deck?” He adds a moment later.

Thinking about the worst of the matter Hatch speaks negatively, “Otherwise she’ll end up in some crab market being cooked and sold. She might even end up in a tank with other crabs waiting to be bought by some chef.”

Hatch picks up the speed trying to move faster in that bearing hoping that he can catch up to where they are heading somehow. Getting anxious to make plight Hatch says out loud, “We’ll just head that way until we come to the closest docks in that path.”

Immediately he contemplates the thought of how far away she probably is by now relenting, “That ship is so far off by now. I’ll have to keep moving to ever catch up. I doubt I’ll ever catch up. She’s probably half way around the world by now me bet.”

Bringing some humor to the matter Hatch says, “Maybe that singing of hers will kick in and keep her from being lonely.”

Looking around for other crabs in the distance only more gleams of sardine schools swimming back and forth glare in his eyes. Continuing on he sees some sharks swimming around overhead. They are all circling around continually along with the parasites that cling to them skins. He looks again and notices a couple of hammerhead sharks waving in and through other schools of salt water fish that are meandering back. Then he sees an x-ray fish scavenging the bottom of the floor slowly. He turns the other way around some rock faces that pierce their way upwards slightly saying, “That looks like the wrong way. I don’t feel like messing around with a x-ray fish. I think I’ll stick to my sea urchins. At least they don’t cause any trouble like these sardines and such.”

Bringing the luring sharks to mind Hatch mentions, “And those sharks have some big heads with beady little eyes on the side. Look more like an avirex maybe. Well, just don’t get stung with one.”

Trying so hard to avoid trouble he musters, “I better keep moving I don’t want any more trouble from anything or anyone!”

Then all of a sudden the x-ray fish sways his way over the rock face scavenging the ocean boulders saying, “Don’t worry! I don’t like eating crabs too much. They are sort of crunchy. I prefer smaller fish and smaller crustaceans like hermit crabs. You’re a Red King Crab which is too big for me.”

Hatch looks to the side while crawling away shrilling, “Why are you telling me this?”

The x-ray fish answers back telling Hatch, “It looked like you were scared! I’m just trying to start conversation. That is all!”

Hatch keeps the move forward on saying, “I’m heading somewhere and I don’t have time for conversation right now!”

The x-ray fish swims beside him asking, “Where are you headed? Surely you can tell me!”

Hatch decides to tell him sort of in a way by eluding, “I have a ship to catch!”

The x-ray fish thinks that that sounds sort of funny in way that a crab would have a ship to catch when it seems that they should be avoided. Asking him another question the x-ray fish asks, “Why would you be trying to catch a ship? Are you trying to make a meal out of yourself or something?”

Hatch thinks how that sounds crazy answering, “No, I’m not trying to make a meal of myself. I’m just trying to catch up with my friend Snatch who was caught in the net of a sardine ship. She’s probably half way to America by now.”

The x-ray fish thinks about that for a moment elucidating, “I don’t think the ships fishing around here are from America.”

Hatch wonders where they are from asking quickly, “Then where are they from?”

The x-ray fish thinks for a second before answering, “The ships fishing from around here are from the Irish shores I believe.”

Hatch thinks about getting even more information from him by asking, “Then what city are they coming from or heading to?”

The x-ray fish isn’t sure of that answer, although he knows who is telling Hatch, “I’m not sure, but I know who does know!”

Hatch wonders who he is talking about as they trek along together with many predators swimming above asking, “And who is that?”

The x-ray fish looks above to the preying hammerhead sharks swimming above answering, “The hammerhead sharks know. They swim around the shores here and there!”

Hatch looks up above as a few more swim in alternating flows saying, “Well, what good does that do they are way up there?”

The x-ray fish decides to call one down when he shrills, “Here, I’ll call one down and ask him?”

Hatch gats anxious, “Hurry up!”

The x-ray fish gets ready to call, “Hold your sea horses would you? Hey hammerhead shark come on down here I want to ask you something!”

One of the hammerhead sharks turns and starts heading downwards to them saying, “What is it you want to ask me fools, you have some nerve talking to a shark that way!”

The x-ray fish starts to answer back to the hammerhead shark, “We just had a question that seemed to be your expertise. See my friend here had a friend caught in a sardine fishing boat and wants to know what city they are headed back to.”

The hammerhead shark starts to get that thinking cap mind on of his stating, “Let me see here. What city are they going to with that precious friend of yours? Well, since we are in the middle of the Irish Sea I doubt they would head back to Belfast where everybody belches and just eats fast.”

The hammerhead shark thinks again for another split second of a moment saying, “Where else could they go. Let me think for a second. Maybe they are heading back to Dublin which is the closest shipping dock closest to here. That’s the direction you are headed. The doubt they are heading to England, Wales, or the United Kingdom for that matter!”

Hatch wonders how far that is from here asking, “How far is Dublin from here?”

The hammerhead shark thinks again about the distance relenting back, “How far is Dublin from here. Oh it’s quite a ways. It would take you a long time to get there crawling like that!”

Hatch ponders over the fact that he is totally right and that he almost has no chance at getting there in time. Hatch makes a comment asking, “And how could I get there quicker!”

The hammerhead shark comes up with a great idea mentioning, “And how could you get there quicker to catch up to your comrade. Maybe, I could give you lift?”

Hatch decides that that is a great idea with only one question in mind, “And how are you going to carry me?”

The hammerhead shark considers a way that he could carry Hatch all of the way twiddling, “You could sit on my hammer and hold on really tight or you could sit in my mouth.”

Hatch like the first part better. But then neither of them seems to peek his interest, though he has no choice telling him, “I liked the first part better.”

The hammerhead shark tells him the truth to the matter elusively declaring, “I wish there was another way to help you. That’s the only two ways I can think about at this moment unless you can think of something better yourself.”

Hatch decides that it is okay by informing, “It is okay, I’ll just try and hold on I guess!”

The hammerhead shark floats downward closer to where he can climb on saying, “Well, go ahead and get on then!”

The x-ray fish thinks about saying something before they are off wishing him, “Good luck with your travels and finding your friend!”

Hatch climbs onto the hammerhead shark while replying back, “Thanks for all of your help!”

The x-ray fish answers back, “That’s okay! It’s pretty boring here just sucking planktons and mollusk all day!”

Hatch comes back with a funny line, “Eventually you’ll find something else to suck on like a sea urchin maybe?”

The hammerhead shark is ready to take Hatch on the journey commanding, “Come on, we have to go before it’s too late!”

The hammerhead shark starts to leave with him as Hatch replies, “Nice meeting you!”

The x-ray fish says some last words as the hammerhead shark and Hatch start to leave the scene twiddling, “Don’t get yourself in to any trouble!”

The hammerhead shark and Hatch disappear out of sight further and further away from there. The x-ray fish begins to go back about his business to scavenging whatever he can while saying, “He’s a lucky little fellow. Though he’s not the taste I’m quite looking for anyhow, maybe if he was a hermit crab I would have been less reluctant!”

Slowly the hammerhead shark swims ahead without making the traveling too discomforting for Hatch who is holding on the best that he possibly can. The hammerhead shark sways above some coral reefs scattered below across the ocean sands. Then he asks, “See how easy it is? You just have to act like a parasite and cling.”

Hatch gets the drift of the parasite thing, “Some Klingons you got back there?”

The hammerhead tries to be amusing by responding back, “This is a cartoon novel not another Star Trek episode!”

Hatch becomes more of a wise adult with the actions of his words declaring, “Aw, what’s the difference?”

The hammerhead shark retorts back with the cinema topic stating, “The difference is that we aren’t with some guys dressed in leotards acting like a bunch space trash and we are in warp drive ready to fly half across the galaxy for some alien woman!”

Hatch comes back with one of his wisecracks witting, “And I’m not some stranger dressed in a crab suit either. I’m a real pincher claw with a crabby attitude!”

The hammerhead shark thinks about something to say which tends to be canny saying, “And it’s not like I’m Jaws or some Great White. I’m a hammerhead shark!”

Hatch starts to slip from his grip a little bit jousting, “Then quite hammering along so fast!”

The hammerhead shark saws back and forth at a fast pace telling Hatch, “It’s the only way to get you there in time.”

Moving along with many fast and swift strokes Hatch slips his grip and falls off rolling over his head and along down past his fins. Hatch falls off and starts drifting towards the bottom of the sea to the ocean floor. The hammerhead shark slows down and starts to turn around while Hatch scurries trying to stay afloat from sinking.

Quickly the hammerhead catches up by swimming as fast as he possibly can to try and clasp him before the plunge. Hatch scurries and falls a little further towards the ocean floor as the hammerhead shark catches Hatch with him mouth and turns around swimming further down to a coral reef. Hatch exits the hammerhead shark’s mouth and walks onto the coral reef saying, “What a slip and fall, I couldn’t hold on much longer. You were going too fast swimming along!”

The hammerhead answers back telling Hatch, “Well, I caught you with my mouth and I didn’t eat you. “

Hatch replies to the hammerhead shark, “Isn’t that the truth. I’m a little too crunchy for you anyway!”

The hammerhead shark thinks for a moment or so before adding to the conversation, “Well, how about trusting me and riding in my mouth so that we can get their much faster saving some time and making up for lost time.”

Hatch answers back to the hammerhead shark saying, “Okay, why not. What do I got to lose. That was sort of another daisy anyways!”

The hammerhead shark gains his confidence once again by displaying, “You have nothing to lose but only loss of time on your hands, I mean claws!”

Hatch brings out the humorous side to himself yet again driveling, “What do I look like a cat or something, you mean pinchers?”

The hammerhead shark catches the drift to his humorous side replying, “Well, just don’t pinch me!”

Hatch becomes anxious to make the trip promising, “I won’t, but don’t you accidentally swallow me and say, ‘Oops, I became a little hungry,’ okay?”

The hammerhead shark feels they have for another time established their trust telling Hatch, “I promise, I won’t. Now climb on in!”

The hammerhead shark opens his mouth as Hatch descends his way inside to prevent another slip and fall just like had happened previously before a few moments before. After making his way inside the hammerhead’s mouth the hammerhead shark asks Hatch, “Are you ready?”

Hatch becomes frightened about their promise commanding, “Don’t talk with your mouth full!”

The hammerhead shark starts to make his move mustering forward with Hatch safely waiting in his mouth for the trip to the shipping docks of Dublin, Ireland.

CHAPTER THREE

Suddenly, one of the Sardine ship crew mates heads down to the lower deck to see how full the last container of sardines that are to be brought to the Irish shores is by now. Once he makes his way down to the lower floor he notices many other foreign items as usual. There are many starfish from many reefs that the fishing net had trudged through. Also there are sea urchins as well which brings an image to mind. Still one image has caught his attention at the other corner of the sardine shipping container.

Hurriedly he looks and sees an array of a few other crabs that have been trapped mistakenly by the fishing nets as well. Usually they use cages to catch the crabs in, though on this day their trip was for sardines. So as normal he grabs a bucket and starts to extract the crabs out from the sardine container.

The first one he grabs look like a red king crab as he glances and cares less about it. Then he grabs the others and places them all in the five gallon bucket also. Once the bucket is nearly full with an assortment of the seas delights other than what they are after, the shipping crew mate walks over and grabs Snatch who is trying to stay as calm as she can to prevent herself from slipping underneath. As fast as he can, the shipping crew mate tries to finish his work at a steady pace to finish on time and return to the shipping docks soon.

Snatch is calm as she is taken up and placed in the bucket. Next he turns and walks back up to the deck where he can head over to the edge and toss his findings back over the side. Once he reaches the other side, the shipping crewmate stops and looks at Snatch who is waiting so patiently for what she hopes to be her freedom. With a sense of curiosity the shipping crewmate picks up Snatch and holds her close to his face nearly thinking that she will remain very passive. Yet, with a turn of her eye she can see that she is hanging over the edge of the railing over the edge of the deck. She continues to look back until he says, “You’d make some tasty fine crab legs!”

Just then the ship decks awash and Snatch sees a wall of water approaching fairly fast. She knows this is her chance to set herself free. Quickly she decides to take her chance at a hard slap to his face which causes him to let go as the wave of water pushes him towards the railing throwing her back out to the ocean. While falling away from the ship she glances back still as the shipping mate reaches his right hand out slightly from the bucket while holding it with his left hand. Nevertheless Snatch falls away being missed by the near grab and splashes in to the rolling waves.

Immediately the shipping mate shakes off his wet face and looks to pour the rest of the ocean’s rewards back in to their rightful place within the ocean. Then he turns saying, “Who wants to eat snapper crab or a shelly starfish anyway. Sorry Charlie. What I want is “Chicken of the Sea!”

Once passed the rolling waves which tumble her over for a few rolls, Snatch starts to sink down below to the ocean. While sinking she can see the many different schools of fish watch as she falls further and further downward. Moving in from their swirling and meandering paths are some bull sharks swimming in frenzied patterns.

Soon she sinks even farther where some nurse sharks are waiting almost like they knew she would be coming. Eventually she comes in range and a nurse shark swims in underneath her breaking her fast fall getting closer and closer to a jagged reefed ravine where there are volcanic vents giving off activity.

Getting picked up is kind of startling for her as she zooms off in the other direction unexpectedly. Catching sort of a dashing rush, Snatch shrills, “What in the heck?”

The nurse shark tries to settle her down a little by saying, “I am a nurse shark and I’m here to help you from your troubles! They call me Freckles because I have some spots on my belly.”

Wondering how everything had happened so fast without even realizing it, Snatch asks, “Where did you come from so fast?”

The nurse shark approaches a sandy clearing on the bottom of the ocean shore in between to reefs saying, “Like I said before, I am here to help you. We saw you get caught in a sardine net and knew that maybe you would be thrown out to toss somewhere down the line!”

Thinking about what a rough and scary trip that was Snatch states, “A rough trip that was! I nearly went all over my rear. And after waking up from what felt like a case of whiplash, I woke up in a container filled with slimy sardines bouncing all around. It was icky and awful. Now I smell like fish!”

The nurse shark says, “You’ll get over it, I smell like fish too. And you even smell like crab anyways. It’s pretty much the same thing on the Irish Coasts.”

Just then one of the other nurse sharks stops and parks next to the other one saying, “You caught her, are you alright?”

Right away, Snatch answers back saying, “Yes, I’m alright!”

Keeping up a conversation, the other nurse shark says, “My name is Gums because I have no teeth, well neither of us have teeth. We saw you get caught in the sardine net and knew they weren’t out for crabs today. Otherwise you would be in a crab catch!”

Nearing the bottom, the nurse shark stops to let Snatch off of her snout. Once she hops off she replies, “Oh, thanks for the advice. Before you both followed me, did you see what happened to Hatch? I lost him when he was hanging on the sardine net; I really need to find out where he is now!”

The friendly nurse shark that caught Snatch answers, “We saw him but the water was too wavy for us to catch him. The reef was near the bottom of the ship to swoop in there and catch him. Although we could take you back there to look for him if you want us to!”

Snatch thinks to herself for a moment before contemplating, “I doubt he would stick around there for very long. I wonder if he has forgotten about me already. He probably thinks I will be sold at the Irish fish market in a little plastic wrapped carton package ready to be cooked. Or maybe he thinks I will be cooked alive in somebody’s crockpot!”

Trying to make Snatch feel more at ease with the fact that she may have lost her partner, Gums tells her, “I’m sure he wouldn’t have forgotten about you that easily!”

Of course, Snatch has many doubts in her mind anyhow. A moment later Snatch rejoinders, “What makes you think so?”

The one to add a comment happens to be Freckles who says, “Because we came to your aid and you were both meant to join again from this temporary circumstance!”

Changing her mind completely Snatch agrees, “Okay, I change my mind. It won’t hurt going back to the spot if you both seem to know where a bout the place is because I sure in heck don’t know anymore!”

Ready to get on with the show of helping Snatch find her soul mate within a world of the under seas Gums says, “Let’s get to it before he gets too far away!”

Quickly Freckles asks her to claw her way to hold on informing, “Climb aboard and hold on tight because this will be a fast trip at one!”

Climbing on and ready to go back to the spot of the scene of the accident Snatch agrees, “Okay, give me a second until I get a good grip!

Freckles is waiting patiently saying, “Take your time!”

Once she gets a good grip Snatch tells Freckles saying, “I’m ready!”

Quickly Freckles takes off with Gums following along of course. Making sure she can go as fast as she possibly can Freckles says, “I hope so because I can swim really fast time!”

Trailing along the side of Freckles as she starts to really move ahead at a faster pace, Gums informs Snatch who is hanging on so happily, “We’ll be there before you know it. He couldn’t have crawled that far away from the spot!”

Meanwhile we are back with the hammerhead shark and Hatch’s trip to the shores of Dublin, Ireland where the shipping docks are located within many of the wielded cliffs that rise above. Nearby is a pier that comes out a ways where the hammerhead shark stops to let Hatch off for the search of his mate Snatch. After the hammerhead stops he opens his mouth and let’s Hatch out. Right away the hammerhead shark advises Hatch saying, “Well, we’re here! This is as far as the trip goes because I can’t go any further than this. I have to stay in the ocean because I can’t breathe on land.”

Thinking about how he is going to have to leave the ocean and make his way on land for the voyage, Hatch tells the hammerhead shark, “I can, although I have to be careful about drying out from being out of the water for too long. But I can go for hours before I will need to wet and soak myself again!”

The hammerhead shark gives Hatch some tips on having a safer trip balking, “If I could I would take you further in to Dublin Bay but there’s too many nets in some places. Once you make your way around you can travel up the Liffey River which goes inland for miles through all of the city of Dublin. There’s even a bridge I heard about that crosses over called the Half penny bridge which is named after the half penny toll they charge each person to cross.”

Appreciating such a great idea to secure his travels more Hatch answers, “Sounds like a plan, although I don’t have any money such as a whole penny or a half penny to pay for a bridge toll. I’ll just sneak across if I have to sometime.”

The hammerhead shark is ready to go and head off back in to the deepest parts of the ocean to return back to his schooling hammerhead shark friends. Giving a goodbye that is short and sweet, the hammerhead shark gabbles, “Well, I should be going now. I have a wife and children waiting back there for me at home. I was supposed to find some new spawning areas to breed in. So I have to get going before they get worried about me. Good luck with your trip at finding your crab mate!”

The hammerhead turns away and leaves as Hatch looks responding back, “Thanks for your help, nice meeting you!”

Hatch watches as the hammerhead drifts off and disappears in to the darkened bluish and black colors of the sea. Then Hatch turns around and makes his way through the under parts of the pier that is held up by the many stilts and beams mounted in to the ocean floor. Once at the beginning of the pier at the bottom side, Hatch turns looking for a way to climb out of the water in order to have a look around. Once near the top of the underside of the pier, he can see the rolling clouds and gusts of wind that have left the pier very desolate and uninhabited for the day. Quickly after making his was at the top of a foot wall that rests along the side of the pier, Hatch hears a whistle like sound that comes from a chunk of ground that is flat with something lying there perhaps, but he can’t really put a claw on as to what it is sitting there staring back at him with a turned head and one glowing eye in the darkness underneath the pier.

Slowly he turns to see what it is that is trying to get his attention. He tries to focus and sees something lying there that looks like an animal of some kind. While glaring over he hears a voice say to him, “Hey Hatch, come over here for a moment, I would like to talk to you!”

Looking around for where the echo came from pretending like he didn’t hear anything just in case it’s an unfriendly being, Hatch says, “Did someone say something?”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise tries to get his attention again by gabbling aloud, “Yes, I said something to you? Come back this way for a moment!”

Hatch turns around and looks to where the Divine Shelled Tortoise sits. This time he makes eye contact that is quite noticeable. The Divine Shelled Tortoise decides to persuade him over so that he can do his abiding. Nevertheless the abiding he plans to do isn’t so righteous at times. It is rather betraying and deceitful at times and he may try and lure him in to trouble that may be troublesome or worse.

Trying to get him over so that he can look down upon Hatch in a dominating pose, the Divine Shelled Tortoise says, “Hey, just come over here moment, where are you going?”

Hatch approaches the Divine Shelled Tortoise contemplating what to say for an answer which doesn’t give too much information away right away. With a short thought in mind, Hatch tells the Divine Shelled Tortoise, “I’m looking for somebody!”

The Divine tortoise feels he may have his way now with his evil shambala like notions of wisdom. Luring Hatch in even further to his craft of thought, the Divine Shelled Tortoise elusively states, “Looking for somebody, huh! Well, who are you looking for, I’m real good at finding where people have gone or have been lost to!”

This situation sounds too good to be true for Hatch even though everyone has been so helpful with his journey so far. Everything has been very smooth with his getting over here so fast, especially with the help from his hammerhead shark friend. Trying to keep his secret safe until he can be sure he’s for real, Hatch says, “I’m not sure if you could help me, it’s a long story!”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise wants to hear his story bad enough. He tends to like long stories that involve the doing of other people. That what he does his whole entire life is live and thrive off of the misery of others. He absorbs the negative energy so that he can feel sympathy towards that individual entity. He is sort of like an evil demon stuck inside of the divination of a tortoise shell waiting for the right negative emotions and energy to surface his way. Persuading Hatch to give in and tell him more of his story. The Divine Shelled Tortoise remarks, “You can tell me; I like long stories. I’m not going to tell anyone else. Who else do I have to tell of a story that’s about to crawl away soon anyways?”

For some reason Hatch decides to describe his story to him anyhow, although he is still skeptical because of his lurking in the shadow underneath the pier when the nearby area looks sort of desolate. Giving the Divine Shelled Tortoise some details about his voyage, Hatch says, “Well, I’m looking for my lost soul mate Snatch?”

Becoming even more curious about his interesting story at hand, the Divine Shelled Tortoise utters, “And what has happened to her is she lost or something?”

Going further with the story, Hatch takes a deep breath articulating, “Let’s just say that not only is she lost, she may be lucky if she is still even alive!”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise sighs for a moment before questioning, “What happened to her?”

Getting to the point of the matter within the story and its theme leading up to the Major Dramatic Question, Hatch decrees, “She was caught in a sardine net and I hung on for dear life. We both were brought onto the deck of the ship where I escaped and she ended up within the lower decks. Now she is probably at some Irish fish market being turned in to a crab delicacy, maybe!”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise thinks to himself slightly for another second or so before exclaiming, “That’s too bad; I bet you there’s a chance she may be thrown back out to sea. Sometimes they get lucky and are thrown back when they are out to sea. But once they make it to the shipping docks, no one knows what happens to them. They may be placed in a sea food tank alive for people to see, or maybe they are sent off to some fast food fish stick restaurant or something. Who knows? But I have heard some horror stories from other crabs about being caught in a sardine net and being thrown back out to sea, and I have heard stories where some never return back home to the sea ever again!

Hatch rummages all of these things through his mind that the Divine Shelled Tortoise has told him about, Hatch answers back saying, “That’s quite interesting to know. You seem to know a lot from the stories that everyone else has told you? What do you think I should do, do you think I should head back to sea or take my chances at looking for her?”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise takes a deep breath and sighs again momentarily wondering what the heck he should tell Hatch to do about finding and looking for his crab mate. After he comes up with an idea in mind which will lure him in to the same fate as his soul mate Snatch, the Divine Shelled Tortoise insists, “It may be wise to at least take a peek around and check out some of the sights around the city!”

Hatch has no idea how he will make it through the city outskirts trying not to be seen by anyone that would hinder his journeys. As his curiosity soars with desiring to find ways to secure his mission, Hatch asks, “What would be the safest way for me to travel through the city so that I may have a look around within some of the restaurants and sea food markets without being seen or giving myself away to anyone bad?”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise searches through his mind for an answer to Hatch’s query, although his advice may not turn out to be the best down the road. The Divine Shelled Tortoise decides to direct him down along the Liffey River just the same as the hammerhead shark’s advice. Mentioning the same general idea, the Divine Shelled Tortoise wisps, “The best way of travel is up the Liffey River. You can stay unseen along the banks and you can sneak in at night to have a peek around without being seen too much. There’s a bridge to cross back and forth on that charges a Half Penny for a toll. That will be your best bet maybe to search around that area.”

Hatch remembers what the hammerhead said as far as his advice which was basically the same notion of mind. Bringing this to the Divine Shelled Tortoise’s attention, Hatch recoils, “That’s the advice a hammerhead shark friend gave me after dropping me off her at the pier. He said that he couldn’t enter the bay near the shipping docks and that I should travel up the Liffey River where the Half Penny Bridge is taking my chances there.”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise uses this part of the conversation to lure him in to his trap of the evils around Dublin, Ireland. Setting the seeds of failure and catastrophe into his voyage and journeys, the Divine Shelled Tortoise says, “Did he tell you that maybe you could ask some of the drunks, hookers, and thieves as to where she might be also. There are others that you may be able to ask for help!”

Realizing that the hammerhead shark never told him such a thing, although what the heck if he is going to search for Snatch without any such clues as to where she has turned up. Answering back to the Divine Shelled Tortoise’s assumptions, Hatch adds a statement saying, “No, he never told me anything such as that, although it may not hurt if I trust them. I think it’s better to stay with your kind maybe after this incident!”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise makes a remark about that fact telling Hatch, “Maybe so, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do to accomplish that what you want dearly!”

Hatch decides just to agree with him anyways even though he feels it is the wrong thing to do. He thinks that he should listen to his hunches and only talk to those that he feels he has to speak to in order to find what he is looking for. Trying to disagree only a little with the Divine Shelled Tortoise, Hatch says, “I don’t know about asking outsiders questions about finding Snatch!”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise uses his persuasive reverse psychology to try and lure him to some of his friends, or should they be known as acquaintances of his. Numerous people have seen the Divine Shelled Tortoise but none really care to bother him because some say that he can turn in to a sea turtle almost at the blink of an eye and disappear in to the waters underneath the pier. Countless people have tried to catch him, though failed they have and that is why some of the people who inhabit the area only seek him for his divine divination. Though at times it is very evil and negative meaning it leads to terrible consequences.

Still with his persuasive medicine, the Divine Shelled Tortoise convinces Hatch by saying, “Well, what are you going to do ask insiders when you are in a restaurant or a seafood supermarket looking for your mate in some lobster or crab tank somewhere? Oh can you help me, I’m looking for my crab girlfriend who may be in the tank next to the lobsters!”

Speculating over within his mind what other tactic he should use Hatch mentions, “Well, what other tactic should I use when I walk into a place. Am I just supposed to sneak and walk in without anyone ever seeing me?”

With the feelings of being nearly invisible in a sense, the Divine Shelled Tortoise uses his evil conjecture to lure Hatch into his forbidden ground of wrong doing and trickster friends once again with his sensible words. Conveying this thought to materialize, the Divine Shelled Tortoise explains a process of being to Hatch saying, “You have to walk with the feeling that you are invisible and that no one even can see you. It’s an art to blend in even though you stand out with many differences in appearance to the others around yourself.”

Nevertheless Hatch a feeling that his information may come from somewhere other than this realm. He can tell that he has some sort of hidden divination in which he uses. Confronting the Divine Shelled Tortoise on the subject, Hatch tests his intuitive knowledge probing, “Where do you get this divine knowledge about powers unto this sphere of wisdom.”

Using his pushy tone of voice which usually has worked for him from time and time before, the Divine Shelled Tortoise twiddles, “I am a tortoise. Do you know where my inner secret derives from?”

Thinking he may say something totally weird and crazy, Hatch says, “Not really?”

Straight with the Divine Shelled Tortoise wants to explain things to him so that he trusts his judgment which will virtually led him in to believing his stories of a mythological sense. And to do so the Divine Shelled Tortoise answers back telling Hatch, “In many countries such as India and other places like Africa tortoise shells were used to tell fortunes of good luck when they were cremated. That’s where my telepathic powers with nature come from!”

While watching the Divine Shelled Tortoise speak, Hatch notices that his shell is turning a different shade of green then the black tint it contained earlier. Trying to not to convey the fact, Hatch says nothing about that truth except, “Wow, that’s something! So how do you know if your fortune telling or advice, whatever you want to call it is true if no one else has used any divination with your tortoise shell yet?”

Right off of the mark the Divine Shelled Tortoise gibbers back, “Don’t push your luck kid; today was one of your lucky breaks. You even received more than a two for one fortune telling session and I didn’t even charge like them hookers, thieves, and tramps up the street. Now go back down and soak your crab heels up a bit while we talk to each other.”

Thinking the word charge is absurd, Hatch says, “You mean they are going to charge me for information as to Snatch’s whereabouts?”

Quickly the Divine Shelled Tortoise says, “Well, the thieves steal what they want instead of charging and the hookers only charge for services and not for information. None of them have crabs but many of them haves other symptoms!”

These facts that the Divine Shelled Tortoise gives Hatch about the slum part of urban life in the city of Dublin, Ireland has him sort of confused. Trying to become more knowledgeable about what he is saying to him, Hatch asks, “What’s that supposed to mean, is there a part of the city that I should stay away from?”

The Divine Tortoise just blurts out another line right away that is passive expressing, “Just stay away from dark alleyways and larger groups of people. Look for mainly women who are usually a whole lot nicer and ones that will help you out a lot more.”

For some reason this idea makes no sense to him considering the fact that his father did most of the talking to him before shoving him off and away to the clutches of nature. Trying to picture the shadows and darkened corners of city life Hatch questions the Divine Shelled Tortoise asking, “Why do you think they are nicer, to me it seemed that my father was nicer?”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise uses this moment to catch the essences of using his persuasion and divine wisdom once again telling Hatch, “You’re a crab!”

And again Hatch uses the same preoccupied short interrogation asking, “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

Getting back to the main theme of the conversation, the Divine Shelled Tortoise carries on with his words, “Things are different with crabs than with people, and crabs tend to leave the nest after hatching such as tortoises like myself. The same is found with sea turtles. The female comes onto land and lays her eggs and leaves. The hatched sea turtles make their way back to sea immediately swimming out past the waves which is really hard. On the other hand people nurture and raise their offspring until they are a certain age. Many of them stay and live at home as a family for many and many of years before moving on by themselves. So what I’m saying is that you didn’t get to stick around long enough to ever talk with your mother and father like humans to tell that woman is sometimes nicer!”

Thinking back to moments with his father before being pushed off to the land of the unknown, Hatch says, “It’s kind of hard to stick around when you are pushed off along with many of your crab brothers and sisters who are darting off in different directions.”

Going back to what he said earlier the Divine Shelled Tortoise tells Hatch, “See there’s some truth to what I’m saying, huh!”

Understanding the fact that he wants to trust others seems jittery to Hatch who is contemplating whether he should leave now by pulling his welcome mat. The advice he has been getting is not what he was really intending on doing, although he doesn’t know how this trip or journey will turn out in the long run. Nevertheless he must move on before too much time goes on because Snatch’s life may depend on it as far as he is concerned.

Meanwhile a few seagulls start to scatter around the skies above. Two of them land nearby just above some small rocks that drop off towards the crest of the pier where Hatch is resting his crab legs. One of them looks towards Hatch and says, “You better hurry and look for her!”

And then the other contradicts what the first seagull said by telling Hatch, “Don’t listen to him, just turn around and go back to the scene of the accident!”

With a fast interruption, the Divine Shelled Tortoise tells him, “Now beat it, you idiot seagulls. If I want to listen to a “Flock of Seagulls” I’ll buy their latest cd which was twenty years ago or more!”

The first seagull starts to fly away chirping, “Oh, shove it you old tort!”

The second seagull follows behind starting to fly away beaching, “Let’s scram!”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise makes a comment regarding the two seagulls as they both regroup with the flock flying above saying, “Those darn seagulls again. All they do all day is fly around squawking all day!”

Hatch looks above and watches them all fly around asking, “Do you know them or something?”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise decides to answer back saying,” Yes, sort of indirectly from them landing around here all of the time asking me for advice!”

Wondering what kind of advice a flock of seagulls could possibly want from him, Hatch queries, “And what kind of advice could they want from you?”

The Divine Shelled Tortoise pause for a moment and takes a breath before gibbering, “You’d be surprised at what kind of questions and advice other animals have about certain things.”

Now Hatch wants to break the past the pier and head back on his way to search for Snatch. Trying to end the conversation as easily as he possibly can without breaking a good conversation, Hatch cuts his welcome mat shorter by explaining, “Well, I think it’s about time I get going on to look for Snatch!”

Immediately Hatch starts to walk back up from the edge of the water line that is rolling with short waves that are splashing all around and over him slightly on a wielded rock face that lies below the pier. As he leaves and heads away, the Divine Shelled Tortoise exclaims, “Now be sure to look me back up when you find her and don’t forget to soak up from time to time or you won’t make a good meal, I mean you won’t dry out and fall apart on some Irish street corner.”

Ready to say his last words to the Divine Shelled Tortoise as he leaves the scene making a friendly exit into the unknown world of city life, Hatch drivels back, “Don’t worry; I will and I’ll be sure to stop back here on my way back out if I don’t get lost somewhere!”

Hatch hurriedly leaves and exits the scene as he makes his way away from the pier in a slow crawl of a pace. He continues on along the edge of the bay walking his way down to a pedestrian path the follows within Dublin Bay. While he walks along heading there, he sees some trash near a trash receptacle that seems to be just lying there. There’s a newspaper that is flapping in the wind a little as many breezes blow by. Down a ways are a few stragglers that are walking by a distance away. Within the trash and debris lies a sardine can that is opened and emptied with a mangled appearance to it. Hatch stops and kicks it over with his pincher claw and looks at the name that says, “Luchese Castle Sardines.”

After kicking it over, Hatch thinks about how he never really ever got a chance to even like sardines, especially with the fact that Snatch is lost on a sardine fishing ship and may never ever return again. Ready to turn away and leave the scene, Hatch says to himself, “I hate sardines now; particularly because of nearly drowning in them and nearly suffocating to death!”

This is where his other inherent crab like synapomorphies to the carrier crab seems to click in from the sardine can images. With a fear like of feeling of being seen by anyone and hindering his journey, Hatch takes the advice of the Divine Shelled Tortoise and tries the art at becoming invisible or should it be known as appearing unseen. Nevertheless he crawls under a section of the newspaper that is sticking up so that he can fit underneath. Once underneath he grabs ahold of the newspaper with his claw like pincher and starts to move forward along the part of the pedestrian trail that leads to a few shipping docks that he can see at the edge of Dublin Port in the mere distance.

As he walks ahead, he holds the newspaper so that he can see when anyone or anything is coming towards him that he may want to avoid. From time to time Hatch will stop and remain still trying to ease further and further along the pedestrian walkway while watching out for intruders. Once he makes his way into the outskirts of town Hatch can see the “Edge Bridge” that sets at the edge of the Liffey River a ways from the bay.

After a while some stragglers emerge that are walking in his direction down the pedestrian trail. Wanting to remain unseen and invisible to any of them, Hatch stops and holds the newspaper down in the gust of winds that have perked up. There are even many splashing waves that send rippling bursts of water over the edge of the embankment capped off by a chain like link fence that stretches on and on for what appears to be miles.

Hatch takes steps to a puddle of ocean water that has washed up onto the pedestrian walkway. Quickly he stops again as a few more people start to approach from behind. He can hear their footsteps as the near from the rear. Listening to them come nearer and nearer, Hatch can hear them speak some words directed to him and his carrier camouflage. When they walk past him, one of the bystanders says, “Did that newspaper just stop all of a sudden or am I just seeing things?”

Then another voice carries over responding to the first remark noting, “It’s just the wind dear!”

Making another line about the mirage or blurred vision, the female of the two people party declares, “I swore that newspaper was walking along right in front of the both of us!”

With a final sentence in measure with what was witnessed, the male gender annotates, “You’re just seeing things again, have you taken your medication recently?”

A few more footsteps and the passersby walk ahead getting further and further away from Hatch who decides to take a peek out to see if they have gone by as of yet. Once they pass for sure with a great distance, Hatch picks up the pace again and starts to crawl again at as fast pace. Then he tends to slow down with the back end of the newspaper weighing him down by dragging from being soaked by splashes from the rippling wave that pour over from time to time.

Nevertheless he continues on until he reaches another trash receptacle that has more trash and debris lying around the outside. Quickly he ditches the newspaper and grabs an old Irish cap that says, “Irish Shenanigans.”

For some reason he finds it a little hard to lift and carry the green cap along with him, although he turns around and faces the strap where he can see out of with no problems. Soon he finds a good grip by using his pincher claws and he starts to head off once again.

Hatch takes a deep breath before moving himself along quickly towards another over fall of salt water that has ripped its way over the side. Many winds start to tear apart the area as an array of dark clouds move overhead and inland.

After another rush of his adrenaline trying to muster forward, Hatch approaches the puddle of ocean water taking a last dip to wet his appendages and crustacean limbs. Immediately he stops and soaks even though the green baseball like cap is already drenched from the wet and muddy pathways.

While resting and soaking Hatch sees some more passersby approach with a rapid pace from the drenching fog and wind that carries lots of moisture with it. There are some people off in the distance who are ducking their heads down from the cold gusts that travels past from here and there.

Hatch watches the other people as the crowd seems to be thicker further in land. He can see the “Edge Bridge” fairly close by now and he can see another structure off in the far distance with other structures and buildings that follow. Taking some time on his break, Hatch says out loud, “Looks like there’s a few puddles here and there to stop at, I may as well hit every one until we reach the end of this path way if there is one!”

Soon Hatch leaves and stops from puddle to puddle until he reaches the end of the pedestrian trail leading up to the “Edge Bridge.” He continues on as until he comes to an area where there are some businesses. Now it seems there are more people as he reaches what appears to be a thicker walkway which is more or less a road layered with bricking stones that stretch from the pedestrian walkway up to the front doors of many businesses and establishments.

Still he stops making sure that he gets all of the salt water moisture he can before exiting the walkway onto the brick like roadway which seems to be to cross without being seen. Nevertheless he uses the green Irish baseball like cap to hide and glide his way to a building that doesn’t have that much activity around the outside area.

CHAPTER FOUR

Suddenly Hatch hears some voices approach from behind. He stops and waits as other pedestrians pass by from an alleyway from behind the building. Soon some voices approach talking about going to a nearby bar that’s not too far away. A female voice carries over saying, “After we leave the bar I need to stop at the market and pick up some crab cakes to bake for tomorrow night!”

Then a male’s voice looms overhead shrilling, “That’s sounds like a good idea stopping at the market, I need to pick up some shrimp to add to some fried rice I made for dinner earlier.”

As they pass Hatch peeks out from the back of the green Irish baseball cap to watch where they both walk off to. He looks seeing them drift off towards a crowd that leads to a main walkway with other people moping back and forth. Wondering if he should follow them both, Hatch balks to himself, “I wonder if I should follow them. It sounds like they know where some fish markets are at where I can start looking for Snatch.”

Hurriedly he starts to dart off trying to follow the strangers after overhearing them, though it’s no use because they appear to moving too fast for him. Knowing that he doesn’t stand a chance at catching up, Hatch stops again after a couple of feet of traveling babbling to him, “It’s no use they are walking to fast. The only thing I can do is watch where they go and follow in that direction slowly as usual. I should have searched the docks more for the sardine ship that caught and netted Snatch. There were so many out there and I’m sure that by now she has been shipped off somewhere to some fast food fish stick restaurant or some sea food chain.”

Regardless of what his mind tells him, his nerves tend to feel very differently about the situation. This is where he decides he must pursue his destination of the journey if he is ever going to get anywhere with finding his true mate ever again. So once over he starts to get on the move heading over to another group of buildings which seems to have more activity than the others previously.

Still he feels he has to camouflage himself in order to remain unseen so that he can sneak in to places and search for his mate Snatch. But for reason he thinks that it might even be too soon for that so he has decided to just case out some places. He knows that this will be tough because he won’t have too much to scope out many different areas along the strip of toll bridges that stretch their way upstream along the Liffey River. Nevertheless nightfall starts to fall which gives him more ways to hide through the darkness.

After a while tugging the green Irish baseball cap, Hatch approaches the corner which meets the widened walkway along the fenced Liffey River waterway that stretches underneath the “Edge Bridge.” He stands there and keeps still for a moment while looking at the traffic that seems to be fairly thicker than he may have expected before. Next to him are some old fashioned buildings that look like they have been there for hundreds of years or so. Many of them are historic buildings that have been renovated through the years which would qualify them for a historic plaque perhaps. Nevertheless Hatch notices that there’s some activity a few buildings away on a corner where everyone seems to be heading in to. The sounds of music can also be heard from a band that is inside playing loudened music.

Every time the door of the establishment opens up the sounds of loud music rip through the air with such an intense deep sound of distortion that it nearly repels him from moving forward. Anyways Hatch doesn’t hesitate from his deeds and desires of casing out the area to make the initial contact he needs to score his reuniting with his lover.

Yet he feels the need to take a closer look at the lives of humans from a cultural text. For some reason he is interested in piercing in to the establishment to see humans as they are and how they act. He thinks that he will have a better chance at finding her if he can find a way to blend in with them a little. So here is his chance to sneak in and blend in a little. Waiting for another pedestrian to open the door when they arrive or someone leaves.

While waiting for a chance to make his entrance, Hatch blurts to himself, “What’s that smell, smells like tuna!”

Then his chance comes with two pedestrians who are making their way to their destination. The two pedestrians reach the building while Hatch sits quietly. The male gender of the group comments, “Nothing like another beer!”

The female gender of the two replies without any further hesitation in the matter, “You’ve had too much to drink already and you smell like a hops brewery!”

Hatch tries his hardest not to be noticed when they both enter through the door. Luckily they both stagger and Hatch finds the right moment to make his initiative with going inside. As he passes he is kicked slightly by the left high heel of the female’s dress shoes. Immediately he is knocked over against the door jamb slightly, although her high heel bounces back and he scoots quickly around the corner.

The female turns around as fast as she possibly can without falling over from her over drunkenness. She looks down and says, “What was that?”

The drunken man answers back saying, “It’s probably just a mouse!”

Of course, the woman recognizes that whatever it was, that was no mouse that she bumped her foot in to. To her it looked more like a spider or maybe something else. Next she jokes about it to her man as they struggle through the door all of the way saying, “That was some ferocious mouse with a pinch if ever I felt one!”

The woman looks around once again after she says that almost as though she expects another pinch to felt on her leg or something. Quickly Hatch tries to get away from where they are both sitting without being step on or scrunched. But then again his real motive is to refrain from being seen by anyone which is very easy because everybody is so drunk anyhow.

As he finds his way towards a pool table where some Irish whiskey drinkers are playing, the cue ball from the game is knocked hard and ends up flying off the pool table bouncing just behind him as he makes his way underneath the pool table. However one of the pool players jumps up really quick in order to grab the cue ball before it winds up hitting someone unmistakably nonetheless.

And as he does he looks over nearly spotting Hatch, although luckily his cap was in the way obstructing his view. So far, Hatch has no idea where he is except that he is nowhere where he could possibly find Snatch who has been departed from him for some time now. Nevertheless Hatch decides to make his way from under the pool table and over towards the bar where there are a many people standing drinking and having a good time with some video trivia and screen touch countertop video coin operated video games.

And as Hatch is trying to keep from getting stepped on by anyone, he notices a few peanut shells on the ground which he decides to take advantage of one. Quickly he takes it and heads over towards the corner of the bar counter where there is a little nook and cranny that he can hide in for a moment. Of course, he is starting to miss the ocean water already and it is affecting him as he starts to dry out a little, although he is sort of used to it from the shorelines and it isn’t bothering that much right now.

Yet for a few more minutes Hatch continues eating before deciding to look around for some water so that he can at least have something to drink. Momentarily he comes out from the corner of the bar counter and then sees an aquarium which is positioned on one side of the room where there are some empty tables in front. Straight forth he makes his way there as a stumbling drunk nearly steps on him while staggering past some bar stools making his way to the rest room.

Luckily Hatch the crab dodges his feet and makes his way closer to the aquarium which has some salt water fish that gave a peak to his interest. However his main interest is to look for his crab mate Snatch, although he doubts that she would be in some salt water aquarium in some Irish drinking establishment called “Crabby Drinkers.”

Immediately Hatch approaches the salt water aquarium slowly trying not to be seen, although a drunk walks by half drunk, nearly walking over Hatch a slight bit. Nevertheless Hatch dodges the bullet and makes his way towards the salt water aquarium and stops looking for a way to climb up onto the aquarium stand.

Moments later he finds a fur coat on a chair that he can use to make his way onto a bar room table where there are no people sitting only the fur coat there alone. It takes Hatch a few moments before being able to climb his way up the fur coat and onto the bar room table which he does as fast as he possibly can without waiting.

Once on the bar room table, Hatch looks around the bar to make sure that no one sees him, although he is also wondering how to get a good view to see if Snatch is inside there. At first, he notices a few salt water Lion Fish that have many tentacles floating around which makes him realize that Snatch wouldn’t be in there anyhow.

Hatch also notices some other scavenger fish like salt water cat fish and a few electric eels that are some of the only fish compatible with a Lion Fish perhaps. But then Hatch decides to leave considering that there haven’t been too many options left at this Irish establishment. And nonetheless he knows the way down from the bar room table and chooses to leave as quickly as possible so he can while taking a break at the Half Penny Bridge to soften up.

Now Hatch has chosen to leave the Irish drinking establishment which is like a bar and pub with some rowdy people, although they seem sort of too drunk at this time. But now, Hatch has to make his way out of the bar and back towards the sea water in order to soak up a bit. If he doesn’t he could dry out and be in big trouble even though he has practiced with Snatch while playing around on many different island shores here and there.

Immediately once back on to the bar room floor, Hatch starts to make his way towards the door, although he’ll have to wait for someone to leave or enter the bar. However luckily as Hatch makes his way fast like towards the door, someone ends up coming in who is stumbling from being drunk at another nearby establishment. Quickly Hatch sneaks in between his legs as the drunken notices while stopping and holding the bar door open. As Hatch makes his way underneath the stumbling drunk as he looks and watches sneak past him.

Straight forth the stumbling drunken old man says to the bar room staff as Hatch clears the door yelling out, “Hey, I think one of your crabs escaped out of your aquarium!”

Then there is another voice coming from the bartender of the Irish drinking establishment answering back, “We don’t have any crabs in our aquarium just crabby drinkers at the bar.”

Straight away Hatch heard what was said and realizes that this isn’t the “Age of Aquarius;” but the “Age of Aquarium” considering that he is a sea crab out to regain his place with his lover. Then the door starts to sway back and forth as the drunken old man looks wondering what to do as Hatch sneaks off around the corner of the bar and back onto the street heading for the Half Penny Bridge once again.

Right away, Hatch makes his way towards the Half Penny Bridge as quickly as possible, although there are some people walking back and forth in between all of the establishments which are located within the area. As he makes his way dodging people, Hatch quickly maneuvers his way across the pathway and towards the edge of the river bank. It isn’t too much longer before Hatch has found himself a place to soak up for a while even though he doesn’t want to spend too much time there.

Meanwhile as he climbs down a little further trying to sink beneath the water more, Hatch continues thinking about his next trip while looking for Snatch who he had lost so dearly before this terrible nightmare in a sense. Minutes go by before Hatch is almost ready to free his crab body up again for another tour of the Dublin area near the Half Penny Bridge which has a many places to tour along the river banks of the Liffey River.

Soon Hatch has decided to leave considering that he didn’t stop long enough to chat with any ocean or river creatures which could hold him up for longer than he wants to be held up for. Also then he may be distracted and encouraged to change or adapt his plan which he doesn’t seem to want to do because he only wants the divine knowledge of the Divine Shelled Tortoise who is a Shamballa like with his wisdom, although his intentions are evil in his nature.

Anyhow Hatch has decided to leave now that he has had enough time to soak up. And when he does he has to make his way back along the pathway following the Liffey River banks while trying to keep from being seen by anyone. Nonetheless he hasn’t made up his mind of where to go so it will take some time before he has any ideas.

And for now he has decided to head up a little ways towards some establishments he sees a little further along the pathway. He was even thinking of soaking up again after walking a good distance towards these establishments that he sees up ahead. However there are becoming less and less people considering that the late evening hours seem to be closing in. And many of the drinking establishments will be open for a few more hours, although the food establishments are all going to begin to close down eventually.

Nevertheless Hatch continues on his journey of finding Snatch as he makes his way along the pathway. There are many people leaving some of the places that he passes which seem unlikely a place to stop and take a look. But there is one place that looks peculiar as he closes in on it. It is just up ahead and there is a smell coming from it unlike any other.

In fact, Hatch can smell the bread cooking which he has smelled before back when he was on an island and there were some vacationers visiting who had some breaded food that they had brought along with them. And then they cooked over a camp fire that they had made in which he and Snatch had taken left overs once they all had sailed off and away.

Of course, he remembers and recalls this as he decides to wait until he is close enough to the establishment along the banks of the Liffey River so that he can wait for the right moment to investigate. It takes a few more minutes for him to make his way there but when he does he stops and looks noticing some people getting takeout food and leaving. There also are some people sitting out on picnic like tables who are dining in on the outside within a patio like environment that he sees off to the side of the place.

Momentarily Hatch decides to soak up once again before taking off and closing in on the place in order to see what he can find out. So far, he feels like he is getting nowhere, although at least he is making the initiative to try and do something for that matter. Also he feels sort of helpless like he can’t do anything and maybe that it’s too late, but he will try and make the endeavor anyways.

And quickly he turns back to the river banks where he can prepare for another part of his journey which is a good distance away but not as bad as it could be for any reason or other. It seems that there are many places for him to go all within a close proximity and he will be able to make a few trips before even the first night is over with.

Soon as Hatch takes a last look, he turns back to the river bank where he can prepare for another trip; although this time he stays for a little while longer. He chooses to wait for a few more people to leave who are sitting outside so that nobody happens to see him when he makes a trip closer. Another problem is that he smells a many things cooking and he’s pretty sure that cooked fish sticks happen to be on the menu.

Minutes go by while Hatch remains underneath the sea water which is half salt water and fresh water all in the mix up. Nonetheless it’s enough for him to soak his crab legs and crab pinchers again before heading out. For a brief time he sits in a look nook and cranny that he had found close by.

And as Hatch sits there waiting it out for a brief moment, he notices a crawl dad staring at him from another hideout a few feet away. They both seem to stare at one another as the crawl dad start to notice that Hatch isn’t from around these parts of the world. And then on the other hand Hatch realizes that he sticks out like a sore thumb, or pincher for that matter.

Then all of a sudden, the crawl dad asks Hatch out loud, “You don’t appear to be from these parts, huh?”

At first, Hatch has to think of what to say considering that he wanted it to be a secret that he’s searching as he says, “No, I’m from out in the center of the Irish Sea.”

Next the crawl dad comes back asking Hatch another question, “So what are you doing way over her inland?”

Right away, Hatch starts to think about how he shouldn’t keep everything a secret if he wants to find Snatch replying, “I’m here looking for my blue crab mate Snatch who was lost to a sardine ship which came here to port.”

And after a few moments the crawl dad comes back with a suggestion saying, “Well, maybe you should be looking for her at the shipyards instead of around here where there are too many people walking around in the way!”

By now, Hatch realizes that he is right, although he feels that he was too late to go to the shipyards as he counters, “Because I was too late to go to the shipyards. Also the Divine Shelled Tortoise said to look for women who are much nicer than the men.”

Immediately the crawl dad figures that that advice is bogus as he comes back saying to Hatch momentarily, “That sounds like advice to get you cooked!”

Nevertheless hatch wonders what he is talking about with such a remark like that as he comes back asking, “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

After hearing that question, the crawl dad decides to say, “I said; sounds like advice that could get you cooked meaning in a hot pot of water. Which also means cooked and ate by some fish lover fanatic.”

Finally Hatch is curious as to about whether or not he is talking about him questioning, “Are you talking about me?”

Just then, the crawl dad has another answer telling Hatch, “Yes, you!”

Right then, Hatch takes a sighing breath while thinking about it before saying, “Huh, I guess I’d better go save Snatch!”

Immediately Hatch starts to leave while the crawl dad says, “Good luck and be careful out there!”

In conclusion Hatch makes his exit while saying to the crawl dad one last time, “Thanks for the advice.”

Soon Hatch emerges from the shallow part of the water where he was sitting on the side of the canal like bank below the water line. Hurriedly he makes his way up and on to the side of the pathway where he can see the fish stick restaurant sign more clearly realizing that this is a place he should quickly investigate.

As Hatch approaches the fast food like restaurant, he notices the sign saying the name of the place, “The Irish Fish Dude” which doesn’t make much sense to him, although just a little bit. However he starts to get the drift as he heads on closer and closer and the smell of fish and shrimp start to overwhelm him quite a lot.

Luckily a few people have left the establishment from the inside as well as a few people have left the patio courtyard where there were many other people sitting and eating outside. But then again there are still a few people sitting outside whom are talking and conversing about something while eating whatever it was that they had ordered for the night.

Soon Hatch has made his way across the pathway at a chance when there was no one coming down the pathway from either direction. And once he makes his way towards the opposite end of the street, Hatch stops and waits for the right time to make his entrance closer to the place. For now it appears that there is still too much activity going on even though most of the people seem preoccupied nonetheless.

And then when a few more people start to leave the scene, Hatch decides to take his chance at getting a closer look, though he tends to hear some more footsteps approaching from the other way. Momentarily Hatch waits until the footsteps pass him by leaving the area while going the other direction.

Finally after the footsteps start to fade away slightly and only the voices of those outside the restaurant eating are heard, Hatch takes his time to crawl out towards the establishment further trying to keep out of sight. Quickly he finds a place to hide where he can wait to sneak his way inside when someone exits or enters.

Then quickly someone leaves while chatting and opening the door slightly while looking back at a group of people saying their goodbye to someone they know perhaps. Now Hatch decides to make his chance at trying to get in as he crawls out from his hiding spot sneaking in while the door is held open. It is held about a good six inches while some woman is slow at leaving while looking back with some interest.

But as Hatch sneaks in the woman sways the door back and forth making it hard for him to enter, although he does when she hesitates for a brief moment or so. Soon Hatch makes his way inside and creeps along the wall walking past a few different groups of couples sitting at tables enjoying their meals. The smell is very strong considering that the cooking has been going on all day and there are still some orders being prepared.

For another lasting half minute or so, Hatch has stopped casing the place out and so far he smells more fish than crab for any reason or other. In fact, now he is sort of having his doubts that he would find Snatch here alive among all of this cooking that is going on for that matter. Nevertheless Hatch figures that he may as well stay and take a quick look just in case so that when he leaves he doesn’t regret missing anything.

Then quickly Hatch makes his way towards the counter while there is nobody standing up there taking any customers and their orders. But there are some people sitting nearby who aren’t paying too much attention to their surroundings other than their own meals. Yet their conversations tend to continue on as Hatch realizes they are very aloof and independent with themselves in their conversing.

Nonetheless Hatch makes his way towards the counter while the owner of the establishment continues preparing a few recent orders that he had made tickets for. Straight forth Hatch reaches the other end of the counter realizing that the floor is greasy and slippery and that he’d better keep out if sight or he’ll be having trouble getting away.

And just when he was unsure of what to do, Hatch sees a back pantry room pantry where there are some supplies stored in which he can see from many yards away. However the back pantry room seems too far away for now so he darts underneath some kitchen tables that are in the back against the back wall where the orders are placed together.

There is a shelf of supplies with some food boxes used for miscellaneous items. One of the boxes says “Fish Sticks” and the other box says, “Crab Cakes” considering that the only crab delight on their menu is crab cakes rather than the delicacy of breaking their own claws at this restaurant establishment.

And when Hatch sees the second box of supplies saying “Crab Cakes” he sort of quivers a little with fear, although he realizes that it some sort of meal made from crabs and that the probability of Snatch being a crab cake already is improbable even with his small crab like skeletal of a crab brain.

There also is a freezer with a window by chance but all Hatch can see from his position are a few more food boxes and one of them says “French Fries” and the other food box says “Onion Rings” which was always something they had served for many years for the many American Tourists who travel to these parts of Ireland such as Dublin.

Once there Hatch watches the owner of the establishment considering that it seems as though he is alone without very much help for the time being. Neither way Hatch only wants to make sure that there is no chance of Snatch being anywhere around any establishments like this, although he realizes just how hard it is to tell anything from his position. And when the owner turns looking to grab some other materials needed such as plates and dishes for his food preparations, Hatch always thinks that he is ready to turn around and grab him unexpectedly.

With some sort of self-control, Hatch remains as still as possible wondering if he should stay or take a chance on darting off to some other part of the room within the establishment. But just when he thinks nothing of it, a foot is planted right in front of him next to the table as he continues being seemingly still.

Hatch looks wondering what’s going on as the foot moves once again as though they were getting something needed on the table for whatever is being prepared. Then Hatch sees the pair of feet move again towards the front desk as a voice says, “And here’s your order and thanks for your patience!”

Of course, these words don’t mean anything to Hatch even though he understands the English language from living many crab lives. The crab lives out on the island with all of the vacationers, visitors, and as well the many people who he had seen stranded who had talked to themselves. Most of the time Hatch and Snatch could only watch and listen trying to try and comprehend what the many of the people were saying so that they could communicate themselves with one another.

All the same Hatch realizes that this owner is preparing food for many different people who he seems to have no relationship with other than through this restaurant establishment which means that he is on a wild goose chase. That’s only because there is a whole entire city out there and he can’t spend too much time here now that he sees there is only fish meat and no crab meat that he can smell nearby.

By now, Hatch has decided that it is about time to leave considering that there isn’t much more he can do here. Quickly Hatch waits until the coast is clear before making a chance for the door, although he will have to wait again until someone opens it. And hopefully he can get the same chance at slipping out as the other times previously.

Soon he notices that the owner of the fish stick establishment is busy and preoccupied preparing another meal for the next order in line. And that seems to be Hatch’s cue to blow this joint and leave thinking of his next plan of action. And finally he does head for another hiding spot that he had used before which is close enough if he gets that instance.

Luckily after a couple just leaves, another couple prepares to leave while conversing with their friends who are at a nearby table. As they clean up their tables and head for the trash and then the door, Hatch waits patiently readying himself to exit. Now he feels as though he has taken too much of a risk entering some unknown place and wants to change his tactics.

Now the people are ready to leave while preoccupying their same conversations as the door slowly opens with them trying to stagger around rather than leaving. Hurriedly like Hatch makes his way for the door as the owner watches noticing a small little red crab sneak its way out which makes him look twice.

Then all of a sudden, Hatch sneaks past everyone just as before at the Irish drinking establishment called “Crabby Drinkers,” which he does so very quickly. And when he does leave one of the customers sees Hatch leave as fast as a slithery mouse, although he has to look twice watching every step.

Immediately the customer of the restaurant establishment says, “Hey, one of you crab cakes just walked out on you!”

The owner of the restaurant establishment “The Irish Fish Dude” says “Nobody ever ordered crab cakes tonight!”

Then as all of the customers leave talking about it while Hatch escapes further away, one of the customers says, “I can see why if they all are served still alive!”

Lastly the group of people leaves as Hatch makes his way back to the Liffey River to regroup his thoughts once again as well as soak up. And then maybe even get some advice from another crawl dad or something or other. Of course, that’s only because he doesn’t have anyone else to talk to anyways but some sea creatures.

Nonetheless when he makes his way back he can still hear the customers of the restaurant establishment talk about him leaving the place when they had the door open. There are some comments that Hatch realized made the people curious as to whether or not they should eat there again. Either way he doesn’t really care, although he does enjoy reaping havoc on these humans who have taken his crab mate away from him.

So far, it has been sort of fun and enticing for Hatch to get up close and personal for a change of heart, even though he had only observed humans from a distance while at the many remote places. But for now, he needs to take a break and think about what he should do next in order to find his dear friend

His dear friend who is out there lost and alone or perhaps boxed up like a sardine in a can or crab tank. Yet he has no idea where to find any crab tanks, although he only first had seen one when at the Irish drinking establishment called “Crabby Drinkers” with some other fish but no crabs. Now many more ideas and images have come to mind considering that he has more of an idea about what he is dealing with perhaps.

It seems that not only is there a market for crabs on the eating level, but he thinks that there is a market on the pet market with different species of salt water fish being housed in aquariums. And for some reason he is thinking that Snatch could end up a beer drinker’s delight or maybe even a live aquarium exhibit within some fancy theme park or something.

Furthermore Hatch has decided to make his way back to the Liffey River and then he will travel upstream to find a few more closer establishments to search through. Besides that he has a hunch to backtrack closer towards the shipping yards where he might find more luck perchance. And still he feels that he may spend more time at this journey than expected even though he is becoming very immensely frustrated with her quick disappearance.

Once at the water’s edge, Hatch makes his way beneath the surface hoping to find some more advice from the creatures of the river or sea. Soon Hatch starts to feel impatient about finding Snatch while also feeling that it has been quite useless. He even has thought about trying to speak with some people or stragglers walking by along their way to wherever it is they are going, although he still is unsure if he can trust a human being.

Regardless Hatch decides to move downriver a ways so that he can see what else he can find that he may have passed up along the way. This time he will waste no time considering that he feels time is running out on his chances of finding her. But then again Hatch has no idea that Snatch is still alive and fell off of the sardine boat long before he was cast off as well.

After a while Hatch has found another restaurant that looks a whole lot fancier than the previous restaurant establishment that he had visited once before. And this place has a picture of a crab and lobster outside lit up around the logo of the restaurant establishment saying, “The Irish Crab!”

So far, from the looks of things this place is one that serves crab and lobster and he feels that he must investigate it no matter what the cost to his life. That’s because it looks like it will be much harder for him to sneak in and have a look around such as the previous place that he had visited before.

But Hatch feels like simmering down a moment before making or taking his chance on getting up too close and personal with this busy place that has many customers looking out of windows while they are eating. It seems that this place has sort of the scenic look out towards the Liffey River and it’s fairly closer to the shipyards. He must have past it up considering that he wanted to get closer to the heart of Dublin where there would be many more places to search through for Snatch.

Meanwhile after simmering down for a few moments just below the water surface, an Irish duck that was sleeping had woken up from Hatch and his disturbing entrance and can’t fall back asleep again. Of course, there are some other ducks there in a group who are resting up along the side of the bank just waiting the night time out.

Quickly one of the Irish ducks sticks his head under the water trying to bob for something to eat when Hatch just happens to be in the way. Luckily Hatch isn’t the type of food the Irish duck was going for when hatch gets a disruptive nipple from a duck’s beak nonetheless. Another thing that Hatch does is he also almost pinches the Irish duck with the pinchers of his claws with sort of a reflex move in a sense.

Right away, the Irish duck backs off and swims to the side wondering what he had just nearly picked up with his beak. It was a surprise to think that Hatch was some sort of small fish swimming around or perhaps some other kind of food such as a worm or slithery tadpole perhaps. Nonetheless the Irish duck tips his head in once again to observe Hatch and his crabby pinch like claws that had startled him so.

And once the Irish duck realizes that Hatch is indeed a crab even in the murky water which is dirty from all of the algae and mosses that grow throughout contaminating it, he swims in closer to Hatch while saying, “Oh, it was a small red crab sitting on the side of the bank.”

Immediately Hatch seems sort of startled. It was like ha had done something wrong, although he has seen ducks before on some of the different islands he has been out on with his friend Snatch. However most of them are there within the fresh water streams along with their waterfalls seeking fresh aquatic environments.

Finally the Irish duck turns back again swimming closer and closer while dipping his head beneath the water surface while asking, “So what are you doing this far inland?”

Right away, Hatch thinks for a moment because he was quite startled at first, although now he has caught his breath while answering back, “I’m here looking for my crab mate who was lost on a sardine ship.”

Straight away the Irish duck has another question asking Hatch, “Did I hear you say your crab mate was caught by a sardine ship?”

Quickly Hatch decides to tell a little bit more of the story while explaining, “Well, we were both caught in the net from a sardine ship and I struggled to get off of the sardine ship as fast as possible; but my blue crab mate Snatch wasn’t so lucky, I guess.”

For a brief moment the Irish duck has to catch his breath by lifting his head and beak out of the water for a second or so. Then momentarily the Irish duck returns after taking a few breaths from talking to Hatch and running out of breath nevertheless. Of course, the Irish duck was also wondering what questions to ask, even though the female Irish ducks were listening in to the conversation as well with their heads dunked underneath the water surface.

Immediately when the Irish duck dips his head underneath to speak to Hatch, one of the female Irish ducks interrupts asking, “So what are you going to do to find your blue crab mate Snatch?”

Meanwhile Hatch seems a little confused because none of his plans have been working out that great anyhow as he replies swiftly, “I will keep on looking for her until I find her somehow, “I suppose!”

Another female Irish duck has a point to make whether or not it will make a difference to Hatch and his journey as she wisps, “I doubt that a sardine ship would keep a female red crab on board.”

After thinking about it for a moment or so, hatch comes back with a question relenting, “What do you mean?”

As she heads up for a breath, another female Irish duck dips her head under before saying, “They would probably throw her back to sea once they processed her with the sardines if she was still breathing from being smooshed in with them all!”

Straight forth Hatch becomes frantic from the information he has just received and he feels that he must get on with his next part of the plan if he is going to save her. Quickly he walks out of the water and onto the side bank of the Liffey River as the Irish ducks all gather swimming around nearby.

And without any further hesitation, Hatch decides to take off right away as he says, “I’d better hurry and find out what happened to her!”

Once at the top of the side bank, Hatch is ready to leave as the Irish ducks give him some accomplishments and cheering as he runs off, “Don’t worry; you’ll find her.”

Meanwhile Hatch can only bring thoughts of finding Snatch to his mind as the Irish ducks give him some encouragement before drifting off in the distance.

Below is a link to "Hatch of the Crabs" subpage 2.