Dylan had three brothers who were triplets. Rickie, Nazi and Mata. They live in a small village with their mother near a river. Their mother is a petty trader but Dylan and his brothers delighted in fishing. Four of them goes fishing together and they cooperate very well. They do other jobs too but that was mostly when fishing is not going well.
Every morning they go to the canoe rentals to hire a canoe. They go with their nets, hooks, baits in a container, lighter, knives, and some foods. They need all this because fishing takes almost a whole day.
Most houses in the area were constructed on the water with woods and planks, including Dylan’s. It wasn’t dangerous for them living in the water because even a child of five can swim not just on the surface but deep inside the water and not get drowned. However, cases of people being drown were rare. People hardly go missing. It was as if the water itself can not drown any one even if the person can not swim.
The river bank is a very busy area. Fisher men and hunters sell their catch, farmers sell their products and craftsmen sell their creations. The inhabitants were not very much. Perhaps the earliest settlers were one or few families.
Rickie and his brothers were envied due to their lucky catch. That attracted to them more admirers and despisers alike. This same fishing business developed jealousy towards them. Adversaries often pick up quarrel from nothing. The last fight was the day Dylan went to see fishes that other fishers caught. On reaching there he saw them with his net he tried taking it but they beat him up. He went home sad.
His three younger brothers went to seek vengeance. They fought from place to place scattering people’s properties. Dylan and his brothers were very smart at doing things together especially the triplets. Though they couldn’t defeat their opponents but at least they hit them hard and made them know they were not the type that can easily be intimated.
At a certain point when they knew that the owners of the properties they damaged will come after them they fled. Some diving into the water while some ran through the neighborhood.
They keep some things away from their mother because she have severally warned them to stop getting into trouble. Sometimes what tells their mother is the injuries they sustain as a result of that. But Mata and Nazi always deny it. They promise to abide by that but sometimes how they get into trouble again is what none can explain. Sometimes they don’t look for trouble, trouble looks for them. At times they over look them but not when it involves their mother. Instead anything will happen to their mother it better happen twice to them. Their mother either becomes the judge or their weak point.
It was winter and it requires fishers to go far for catch. Dylan and his brothers set up their journey early and returns with a few catch. The other fishing groups were getting luckier and they boast about it making the four brothers wonder how they do the magic.
Everyday they increase their efforts and strategies to meet up with the demand but there was no change. Instead their catch keeps declining because it seems fishes were flushed away each time rain falls.
But they determined to find out their secret so they kept watching and spying. From morning till evening they wait to see when they will go but they never see them not even at the banks where fishers heir canoes. They only see them mostly when they are returning. They were certain they travel a very distant place to fish. Maybe they discovered a lake somewhere. They knew that if they should go to a far place to fish they may not be able to return that same day. Night will catch up with them and their mother will be worried. Already she usually warn them not to come home at night it will not only make her panic but as well get them into something they won’t like.
They loved their mother not only in protecting her but also in helping her in all possible ways. Most of the times Mata is the cause of the fight because he hardly let go and he’s fearless too.
As the issue of not catching a good number and sizes of fishes continued getting worse they withdrew a bit and most of what they do was help their mother sell fruits and vegetables. Which was where Dylan met a slim brunette called Jennie. They connected easily.
Jennie was usually sent by her mother to buy stuffs such as the ones Dylan’s mother sell. Dylan being a good looking young boy of twenty one was lucky with girls especially with this particular one. It was as if they used charms on each other. Girls easily smile at him and whatever he says was found funny. Some times girls were the reason come against him, mostly in party houses or beer shops.
Within this time they help their mother, they had more customers. There was a lot improvement in the trade. Their mother was happy about their involvement. They was friendly to their customers and treats them well but their mother treated Jennie even better, like her own daughter. Jennie herself was a girl with many admirers. She wasn’t so pretty but guys finds her attractive. One reason is that she’s sensitive and dresses in a way a glance at her would tell she was from a notable background.
Jennie often complain of guys molesting her. Dylan and his brothers tells her to report those bullies to her father but she was scared she will be causing more damages than amendment. However, giving such report may cause her parents to stop her from going out. They demanded to know if she will recognize them when she sees them, she agreed. Dylan and his brothers planned to keep an eye on her.
Recently Jennie stays with them at their shop till evening and when she was ready to go Dylan sees her off. So it was, one evening as Dylan was seeing Jennie off they were attacked by some guys. They were three mean looking guys. No matter how strong Dylan is the three will be difficult for him to handle. So he could not think of fighting neither should he consider running for if he does, how about Jennie? Can she run fast? She will be used to get him back and that will be worse. However they were trapped.
Additionally, Jennie was the more reason he doesn’t want to challenge them because if he does they will beat him up and hurt Jennie even more than they do when she’s alone.
“Look at the guy you choose over me, a vegetable seller” Whatever the group leader says the other two laughs at it even if it doesn’t sound funny. This was to hurt Dylan and Jennie.
“Yet better than a worthless pile of shit like you” Jennie defended. She was fearless and also good with words.