A Creature
Something tugged on his line. He excitedly grabbed his fishing pole and did what he did best. He never liked to gloat, but he thought of himself as an expert fisherman. But something seemed different, and whatever it was, it was big.
But Leon was stronger. He managed to get the creature to the surface as it whipped and struggled with fury. But once Leon saw what was on the other side of his line, he wished he had never driven out to the lake.
Leon Weber
Leon Weber considered himself a regular 30-year-man. He had hobbies just like anyone else in Germany. Leon would often travel to different parts of Europe to try and find the greatest catch.
His exploits would take him to the Netherlands. He heard rumors of a lake there that could get him what he wanted. He told his wife he was going away for the weekend and that he would bring her back dinner. But he had no idea what he would end up finding in that lake.
Packing His Things
Leon had heard the rumor from one of his friends, who was also an avid angler. He told him that when he visited the lake, he couldn’t believe how abundant the fish were. Leon knew he had to go check the spot out.
He packed the things that he needed for the road. He couldn’t forget his lucky fishing pole. He knew that it would help out on the lake.
A Call
After packing all of his things, Leon got a call from his friend again. He told him that there was more to the lake than he had let on. He explained that he had heard stories about the waters there only after he had fished.
But Leon never let superstition get the better of him. He decided to ignore what his friend had to say and go on with his trip. Although in time, he would learn just how real rumors can sometimes be.
Rumors
What his friend had told him was an old legend about the lake. That there had been a high amount of disappearances close to the lake. Lots of people were last seen around the lake but were never heard from again.
The disappearances date all the way back to the 1930s. Many of the disappearances are still unknown, but that didn’t stop Leon.
Roadtrip
With the car packed, Leon decided that it was time to leave. He kissed his wife goodbye and went on his way. He knew he’d be on the road for a few hours, at least. But it was worth it for the catch.
He even had accommodation booked for the weekend near the lake. It was a cheap motel near the water. But soon, he would find out why the room was so inexpensive.
Getting To The Lake
After driving for what felt like forever, Leon finally arrived at the lake. He saw the motel and parked in front of the reception. The place looked old, like a piece of the 1960s immortalized in concrete.
It didn’t look very well maintained either. When he walked into the reception, every piece of furniture and decor looked like it had never been replaced. The woman didn’t seem too friendly either.
His Room
He got the key to his room and walked up a flight of stairs to get to the front door - an old warn plaque read 21B. He turned the old key and pushed the door open. Things looked very similar to the reception.
Leon wasn’t entirely surprised. The room had smoke-stained curtains and an ugly carpeted floor. No doubt all of the furnishings were also straight from the 1960s. But the worst was to come.
The Lake
Leon unpacked the car and placed his things in the room. After which, he locked the door and walked down to the pier with his fishing pole, bait, and wallet. He knew he’d have to rent a boat.
The boards of the pier creaked under his weight as he approached a man standing by two small boats. They looked almost as old as the motel, but thankfully, they had what looked like refurbished motors.
Renting A Boat
Leon greeted the man and asked to rent one of the boats. The man didn’t speak German and could only speak broken English, but the interaction was simple enough. He gestured to the boat, the man put up a figure with his hands, and Leon paid him the money.
Just a few moments later, Leon was out on the lake in his boat. He found it strange that no one else was around, but he shrugged it off as it being “off-season.” But after putting casting his line, everything would make sense. And Leon’s Life would change forever.
A Bite
Something tugged on his line. He excitedly grabbed his fishing pole and did what he did best. He never liked to gloat, but he thought of himself as an expert fisherman. But something seemed different, and whatever it was, it was big.
But Leon was stronger. He managed to get the creature to the surface as it whipped and struggled with fury. But once Leon saw what was on the other side of his line, he wished he had never driven out to the lake.
A Catfish
Leon struggled, and the creature finally gave in. It relented and finally let Leon get it aboard his small boat. It was nearly too big to fit in. He couldn’t believe what he was looking at. It looked like something out of a science-fiction movie film.
It was a catfish and a big one at that. But the thing that gave Leon shivers down his spine was the color. It was bright yellow! He knew he had caught something incredible.
Heading Back To Shore
After taking photos of the animal, he headed back to shore with his catch. He knew that he needed answers and fast. His curiosity meant that his mind was running wild the entire time.
Was the lake poisoning the fish? Was it a genetic disorder? Or was it something more sinister than he had considered? Leon needed to know as soon as possible. Luckily, the man who sold him the boat would know.
Leucism
When he arrived at the dock, he tied off his boat and stepped off with the creature in his arms. The man at the dock’s eyes grew wide as he noticed the catch. Leon walked straight to him and begged for answers.
The man’s English still wasn’t great, but he caught one word, “Leucism.” It sounded scientific enough, so he decided to look up the answer once he deposited the creature in his cooler box and got back to his motel room.
Answers
After putting the fish away, Leon sat on the edge of his motel bed and searched for the strange word that he heard the man say. He would finally get the answers that he was looking for.
It turns out that Leucism is a rare disorder that some fish may suffer from. It turns the fish yellow and can have disadvantages in the wild such as not being able to camouflage itself from predators.