Chapter 25 Catching Fighting fish

Someone gave Bruce a fighting fish and he was showing it to Fabian and brother.He kept it at the ground floor of his house where it was dark.Apparently that was to induce the fish to bring its best colors in the dark.

It was a beautiful dark fish slightly more an inch and half in length with blue shining spots on its body.You put a finger to it,it will immediately react as if ready to fight.With gills widely opened up and fully bloomed out and flapping.

"You want one,you can always go and catch them yourself", Bruce told Fabian.Now how to catch them.Fabian returned home pondering over it.Just then Joe came by his house taking a short back to his house.

"Hi,Fabian,what is on your mind?Thinking so deeply">asked Joe.
"I was thinking of how to catch fighting fish",replied Fabian.
"No big deal,we can go together to catch them",said Joe.
"Then we go tomorrow during the week end school holidays."Alright,we go tomorrow".
"I also want to go"said Francis who was nearby.
"Cannot,you cannot go".Fabian said.
"If I can go,you also cannot go and I will tell mother about it",cried Francis.
"Never mind Fabian let him come along to hold our bottles"said Joe.
"Then okay,you can come along but do not make a big fuss about it",shouted Fabian.

Next early morning the three of them met after breakfast,there was no transport and so they have to walk all the way.First they reached a swampy area around Changkat jong Road.Actually they do not have any equipments to catch the fighting fish except a round vegetable basket and three bottles.

As they reached the edges of the swamp,Joe said,"Let us try this place".
"Let me try first",said Fabian as he took the basket to scope the edges of the swamp but did no catch anything after a couple of trails.
"Look at your legs ",cried Francis,"something sticking on your legs".
"Arrrr leeches on your legs,Fabian.

Fabian quickly got up to dry land,hurriedly he tried to pulled away those leeches.It was difficult to to pull them away but nevertheless he was successful in pulling one and fling it away into the water.However there was still another on his leg and he tried to pull it away,but that leech refused to bulge .After a few trails he managed to pull away that leech but by then the leech had succeeded in sucking some blood.The resultant tiny wound was bleeding as he removed that leech.

Though it was painless the bleeding continued,Fabian applied pressure to it but still it did not stopped.Seeing this he allowed it be.Joe then said,"Let us find another place to catch the fighting fish,this place is no good,got plenty of leeches.Francis too agreed and they left.

They walked farther on towards the rubber estates.They surveyed around to see whether it was safe to catch fighting fish there."Aiya.don't waste time,lah",cried Francis,"we walked so long and not caught a fish yet".
"So clever,you try first",said Fabian,giving the basket to Francis.
"I try,okay,no problem",receiving the basket Francis went into a drain and scope its side.

Sure enough his first trial was a lucky try for he scoped up a fighting fish,shouting"I have got one,I have got one".Displaying his proud self he put the fish into his bottle claiming,"This is mine,mine,understand,Fabian?".

Next Joe took over the basket and after some scoping he caught two fighting fish."Luckily here got no leeches,otherwise they would have attacked me"Fabian next took over the basket to catch and caught another two.Then they rested and discussed about their catch.

"Now I think I know how to catch good fighting fish,it was no use scoping every where,just looked for small amount of foam or bubbles by the side of drain edges if you see them scope that up.Under it surely got big and beautiful fighting fish.

"You talk very clever,catch one and show me",said Francis."Yeah,catch one to show him,Fabian",said Joe.
"Alright I show you",grape the basket ,he went over to another drain.Sure enough he saw some foams on the water and he scoped up that spot.Well,he caught another beautiful big fighting fish. Then Francis said,"let me try to varify if you were right".".

Taking the basket he went into that drain after he scoped up something big,he shouted,"Look.look,I have caught a giant fighting fish".Joe and Fabian rushed over.
As Joe saw the fish he exclaimed,"That is not a fighting fish,it an "huruan" (snake head fish),stupid".

"Hey catching a big fish is not stupid,you dump,dump",cried Francis.As they were hungry they barbecued that fish and shared it among themselves.It was a lucky day indeed.They not only had a few fighting fish they also had a nice lunch.

After lunch they divided their catch,and each got two fighting fishes each.Fabian hide those two fishes in two bottles under his bed.To prevent them seeing each other he placed a paper in between the two bottles.Francis also put his fishes under his bed.

"Don't you steal my fishes,Fabian"warned Francis.
"Ha,ha,I have the best,why should I steal yours?",claimed Fabian.
"I can identify my fishes I warn you,if you changed them I will know",warned Francis.
"I am watching my fishes as I sleep so do not come near".
Fabian then told his brother to sleep and do not talk about those fishes.