Ficlets

Zo and the Gator

Alonzo eyed the old alligator warily, while the gator seemed to be ignoring Alonzo.
Zo was too smart to fall for that though, he had lived most of his adult life along the gulf coast bayous. He knew the gator was just waiting for an opportunity for lunch.

Zo slowly pulled the thin rope towards him, underneath the surface the crabtrap broke free from the bottom and drifted toward him. The trap was heavy with crabs and as the trap moved so did the gator, slowly moving towards Zo.

Zo slapped the water in front of the big lizards nose with a paddle. It changed directions as though that had been the plan all along.

Zo hefted the cage out of the water and onto the side of the shallow bottomed boat to let the water drain off though the holes in the fencing that made the cage. He opened the door in the cage and shook the larger crabs into the white five gallon pickle bucket he held between his feet.

He put a few mullet heads and chicken necks into the trap, closed the door and threw it back into the water.

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