Page 53 of Wild for You
Jack
I castmy line as the sunrise peeks over the ocean’s horizon and let the ocean breeze fill my lungs. I’ve always felt at home near the ocean or, really, anywhere surrounded by nature, but having Gwen here with me has taken my love for this freedom to the next level.
I’ve been all but skipping with joy everywhere I go. It’s like all my senses have been heightened, and the simple pleasures of life have given me an entirely new awareness.
I know, I know. Someone get me some Vagisil right now, but I’m a man in love, and I don’t care who knows it.
I feel a small tug on my line and smirk as I begin to reel in my first catch of the day. A warm smile spreads across my face because it seems luck has been on my side lately.
The line pulls tighter, and I stand to my feet to get a better grip on my flimsy collapsible rod. The last thing I need is for this baby to break. So far, we’ve had pretty good luck catching just enough fish to keep us fed and not having to wait around all day to do it. Of course, the foraging for oysters and other crustaceans helps sustain our diet as well.
I’m wading out into the water, trying to get as close as I can to the little fighter so my line doesn’t snap, when I see the bright silvery-blue scales of a mackerel. My heart leaps in my chest as I wade in waist deep. I won’t be losing this monster without a fight.
Normally, I wouldn’t waste my time catching such a large fish because it would go to waste before Gwen and I had time to eat it, and though I may be a fisherman, I don’t enjoy killing animals for the sake of it. I’m careful about my kill, and I only do it for sustenance, not pride, but since I’m leaving soon, I’ll take every advantage I’m given. I’ll need food for the journey, and having smoked fish will keep longer than any fresh fruit I could pack.
The fish tugs harder to the left, catching me off guard, and I roll my ankle in the loose rocky sand beneath me.
“Fuck” I hiss as the searing pain shoots up my ankle, and I tighten my hold on my rod, more determined now than ever.
The fish is giving it his all, swimming side to side like he’s dodging a bullet, which isn’t too far from the truth of his situation.
“Come on,” I mutter, narrowing my eyes as I take another step closer. If I can just get him ten feet closer, I won’t have to worry about the nose dive that inevitably comes next. With another slow crank, I pull him into view, and I know I’ve got him.
“I’m sorry, buddy, but you’re going to be my ticket out of here.” With one final reel, I draw him close enough to grip his mouth with my thumb.
This mackerel is so large I can’t help but hoot in delight as I wade backward to shore. When I finally get to the beach, I lay him out and gut him to lighten the load before carrying him back to camp. I say a silent thank you to the fish and the universe for providing us with such a bountiful catch and make my way back to camp.
When I arrive, I find a beautiful sleepy-eyed Gwen hovering over a freshly lit fire. She’s got this radiant, authentic beauty about her and the fact that her hair is standing up on all ends tells me she hasn’t been awake long.
“Good morning, gorgeous.” I lay the fish on the large flat rock we’ve been using as a table and rush to kiss her on her forehead. If I’ve learned anything about this woman, I know she needs her space in the morning and can’t stand morning breath kisses—even if it’s her breath that needs the attention.
“Did you make this all by yourself?” I gesture to the fire.
“Yeah.” She rubs the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand, “I, um, I was going to surprise you with tea when you got back.” She passes me one of the large conch shells we’ve been using as cups, filled with fresh piping hot tea.
I shouldn’t be surprised, but somehow, I am. Gwen has learned so much in our short time here. Not to mention, after learning about her past, I shouldn’t be surprised by any survival skills she has. The woman is resourceful in every sense of the word.
I take the hot conch shell, and we sip our teas together in silence—just the way Gwen likes to wake up.
After she’s done with her first shell of tea, I grab my camera and begin setting up the tripod.
“Whoa, Wombat Willy. I didn’t realize we were still filming content. You’ve got to warn a girl before you break out the camera!” She attempts to smooth down her bedhead, which is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Trust me, babe. You’re adorable right now, but I’ll try not to get you in the shot.”
She rolls her eyes and pours another shell of tea. I think, by this point, we’re both unsure of what the future actually holds for us, so minor things like being camera ready and making a good appearance are literally the least of our concerns.
I start the camera and back up to frame the shot. “Hey, Dubbies! Today I’m going to show you how to preserve a large fish by smoking it. This can definitely come in handy in a long-term survival situation.” I glance over at Gwen. She’s paused, slowly sipping her coffee, but I know I’ve piqued her curiosity. “Now, you all know I usually don’t even try to catch large fish like this beauty.” I stand up, holding the fish by the tail to reveal just how large it is. It hangs from my shoulders all the way to my knees. “Today, we’re learning how to smoke a fish, but you could do this with any wild game. As always, I’ll list instructions in the show notes below.” I slap my hands together and rub them eagerly. “So, let’s get started, shall we?”
* * *
Since I’mdown to my final battery, I had to be strategic with instructions and film time, only showing the absolute most important steps in the process. Smoking meat is an all-day endeavor, and by the time I’ve got it all set up, all we need to do is wait.
I’m exhausted, having spent the whole day building a smoke hut, cutting meat, and maintaining the fire. I’ve just laid down to rest when Gwen curls up next to me with a cup of water.
“You look exhausted.”
“Yeah, I forget how tedious the whole process is, but it’ll be a lifesaver when I set out next week. Having meat will help me keep my stamina more than coconuts and oysters ever could.”
