Jake had started fishing. He spent most of his weekends fishing, sometimes sitting there for hours.

One day, he tried a new lake a few hours away. He was excited.

He didn’t know that his excitement would soon turn to horror. He would make a catch he would remember forever.

Jake’s face lit up when he felt the rod bend. 

He reeled in the line as fast as he could. Jake grabbed the fish and put it in the bucket.

He always returned animals he caught to the water, but first, he looked at them.

This fish was unlike anything he had ever seen!

He wiped his hands and grabbed his phone to look it up online. He discovered it was probably a flying fish, but he couldn’t find any information on this breed.

Jake took a more straightforward approach. He posted a picture of the fish on an online fishing forum and asked what type it was.

About an hour later, he checked his phone. He unlocked his phone and saw notifications about comments on his picture. He smiled.

Mark said, “Leave now!” What are you doing? Jake frowned and sent him a private message.

He didn’t know what it meant, but commenting on his post seemed strange. He texted, “Hey, I saw your comment on my post.”

What do you mean?

He ignored it at first, but now he wondered what it meant.

Mark wrote, “You don’t know what you’re doing.” Get away from there, and don’t touch the fish! Jake laughed nervously. He had already touched the fish. He quickly replied and sent it.

“What’s going on?” Why?

Jake stared at his phone, confused by Mark’s messages. “Leave.” Now! Mark had insisted. Jake typed, “Can you explain?”

What’s dangerous about this fish? Mark had blocked him. Jake was confused.

Jake took a deep breath and let go of the strange encounter. He picked up the fish and let it go back into the lake.

The fish swam away. Jake watched it go, feeling relieved.

It’s time to go home and forget about today.

The sun came up, but Jake was distressed. Jake woke up with red, itchy hands. 

Jake ran to the nearest doctor. The drive seemed endless, and his hands itched.

He rushed into the clinic, feeling urgent. He told the doctor about his symptoms, and the doctor looked worried as he examined his hands.

Dr. Emily was curious about Jake’s experience with the strange fish. “Did you notice anything unusual about the lake that day?” she asked.

Jake told Dr. Emily about his fishing trip. 

Dr. Emily told Jake to stay away from water and fish until they knew more.

Jake was interrupted by environmental inspectors at the lake. They wore official clothes and looked around as if they knew what they were doing.

The inspectors introduced themselves and explained they were investigating illegal activities in the area. Jake shared his experience, especially about the strange fish he had caught.

The inspectors listened, interested in Jake’s story. Jake’s encounter with the strange fish might be necessary for the investigation.

The inspectors’ reaction to the fish photo scared Jake. Their faces showed disbelief and concern.

“We’ve never seen this,” one of them said. Jake’s hands shook as he held the phone. He realized the situation was severe. He worried more with each passing second.

Jake called Dr. Emily right away. He was tense as he told her what the inspectors said. She listened and became urgent.

“We need to act fast,” she said. 

The inspectors told Dr. Emily they thought the fish was dangerous. 

The goal was to find and remove the creatures to prevent further incidents. Jake felt determined as the mission began.

Dr. Emily and the inspectors led a search of the lake. 

The team found evidence of illegal genetic experiments near the lake. These experiments showed that the fish and its mutations resulted from unethical science.

The fish Jake caught was a dangerous mutation. It carried harmful pathogens.

The news shocked Jake. It was vast and disturbing. His symptoms were caused by contact with the genetically altered creature.

The lake was empty now. Jake stood at the edge, thinking. He thought about the results of his catch and the experiment.

The water was calm, but Jake was troubled. This showed how human actions can affect nature in unexpected ways.