[ Randall M. Ceah, interdimensional traveler, journal entry for 10/26/2024 ]

I rarely stay in one place for long. Sometimes I walk through a dimensional door and discover that the destination is too hazardous to explore. Sometimes the destination is far too boring to bother with. And sometimes I stumble into a situation that is very awkward and forces me to take my leave.

One such instance of the latter happened to me one October day. I walked through the door and out into the middle of the ocean. I found myself on a rocky island. It was a wondrous location and I began to explore.

I carefully navigated the jagged rocks. The environment was hazardous terrain but not life threatening. Small pools of water housed tiny fish and other micro sea life. It was a mostly isolated and desolate location.

Until I found a child.

He was at a far edge of the island and watched the sea with heavy interest. I considered approaching him when I noticed that he was busy eating moldy bread. He seemed distant and was very malnourished.

I avoided the child because he was delirious. I was afraid that he might see me as a villain or monster and scream for help. I had to approach the situation with careful tact and find an adult.

I kept my distance from the child’s corner in search of any adults stranded with him. I braved the rocky landscape until I found a man sitting on the opposite end of the island to the child. I was cautious when approaching the man because he was wearing a pirate uniform.

I had met pirates before in many different settings, land, sky, even space. The pirates of the sea were just as dangerous as any other group. And this pirate had the presence of a captain. I saw no other crew on the island. I assumed the child was the cabin boy and the only other survivor.

There was no shipwreck. And upon further studies as I explored the island, I noticed how circular and high the island was. The captain and cabin boy were likely thrown onto the island after a storm. I was about to approach the pirate captain and ask questions.

But then I saw him sink his teeth into a severed leg.

And I noticed to my horror that the man was eating his own leg. I saw a bag of treasure next to the captain. Any pirate guarding his treasure was not someone to cross.

Especially one eating his own body parts.

I felt very awkward and was about to leave . . .

When I saw a looming figure to the northern side of the island.

I stared back at the captain and he was too engrossed to notice the shadowy giant that stood over the island. I walked northward and the giant watched me as I approached. The clouds parted and the sun chased away the shadows.

And I came face to face with Dagon, the Fish God from legend.

His bulging eyes stared down at me. His fat lips curved as he smiled. I stared back up at him in horror. He then brought a massive claw close to me.

I was petrified as the claw came closer and closer until finally it hovered over me. It then pointed a foot in front of me. I stood before a pool and there floating in the pool was a . . .

A long black box with a keyboard and mouse inside.

The box floated on the surface of the water. Dagon’s claw tapped it and it bobbed in the water. The box turned and rotated but then corrected itself back into its original position. Dagon played with the box again and I noticed that one end constantly faced north.

“It’s a compass,” said the Fish-God with a goofy grin.

“It appears to be—hold on!” I then recalled the castaways and pointed in their directions. “There is a boy eating moldy bread and a man eating his own leg.”

“To each their own,” said Dagon cheerfully.

My jaw dropped and I asked, “Are you not going to help them?”

“My wife is a real hydra when I bring home strays,” explained Dagon. “She is already very upset that our kids are marrying humans. Which is very weird but to each their own.”

“But if you are not going to help them, why bother watching over them?” I asked.

“This is my pillar of worship they are on,” said Dagon. “My followers made it ages ago. I sometimes stop by to see if they are holding a festival. The fried squid is super divine!”

I was greatly confused by this turn of events. The fact a god was here and just observing these poor castaways was too awkward and frustrating for me. I was about to take my leave but then Dagon spoke again.

“Before you go, good traveler, could you take that box with you?” asked Dagon.

“Why not ask the boy or man to take it with them once they are rescued?” I asked sarcastically because I doubted rescue would come.

“It does not belong here,” said Dagon. “And it is very distracting. Please take it with you and I promise to aid the humans.”

“How will you aid them?” I asked suspiciously.

“Oh, I will terrorize a ship and herd it to my pillar,” said Dagon. “The crew will take the humans with them away from my pillar. And I hope they do soon, it's almost festival season and the sad humans will bring the mood down.”

“. . . Fine, if that is how it is,” I said as I retrieved the keyboard. “I will take this junk away but you will keep to your word and help that poor man and child.”

Dagon grinned and gave me a thumbs up. I turned away from him and observed the keyboard box. The keyboard was called an Ares M1 with a Zeus E2 mouse. The box was brand new and somehow was not damaged by the water.

I was suspicious and studied the box more closely.

And sure enough, the Terrible Time Trasher’s initials were present. I sighed deeply as Dagon waved farewell to me and headed out to sea to find help for the castaways. I opened the box as I opened the door to my exit.

I thought of Mr. Buck Bloom and his quest to collect keyboard keys. Most of the keys were black and pristine but the W, A, S, and D were red. I concluded it was a keyboard for video-gaming.

Its function and purpose did not matter though because its fate with Mr. Bloom would end the same as the previous two I found at R’lyeh.

I decided to keep the mouse. It was very stylish and it glowed. I also made the decision to send the keyboard to Mr. Bloom at a later date. I needed time to settle and vent my frustrations after meeting Dagon.

There is a certain bar in the multiverse that I enjoy going to. It is the perfect place for those who travel to rest their feets and minds. I have a substantial tab there but I am good with the barkeep.

“To each their own.” That really was the excuse of a god and one of Dagon’s caliber no less. He was worshiped by the Philistines. And the Mesopotamian! By the cosmos, it is no wonder those cultures became ancient history.

Honestly, the multiverse is far more chaotic and uncaring than the Dimension Travelers Academy led me to believe. To each their own, indeed!

Please note, this was a work of fiction. Any names, places, products, or Fish Gods featured in this work are purely fictitious. Any resemblance of actual persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. The actual date of this work being written is 11/27/24. And remember, the fried squid is super divine!