Looking out to sea, Anna watched the fishing boats leaving the harbour. She felt uneasy, if only she had woken with his alarm clock. Maybe she could have stopped Jed, but she’d overslept. She felt sick to the pit of her stomach. The argument last evening, had made made her toss and turn all night, it was in the early hours of this morning that she eventually went to sleep. She kept on going over and over again what he had said. He wasn’t listening to her.. How could he be part of it all. He told her it was his livelihood. The food on the table and the roof over her head was all bought and paid for by it. She knew what he was saying was right it just didn’t make it any better. Jed told her that they were laying off more and more fishermen as the fish stocks were decreasing, they had to get smarter. The heavy mechanisation was threatening all their jobs. He said that none of them would have jobs in 20 years time. She lashed out... screaming at him! How could he be so stupid to be part of this. Jeds eyes furrowed together and he picked up his hat. “I’m going for a walk..” he announced. “Don’t you walk out on me now” she warned him in a stern tone. “Anna, I don’t want to talk about this” Anna grabbed his sweatshirt. “Jed please don’t go” He pulled away and grabbed his coat and hat.. Anna watched the door as it slammed shut. Blankly she stared at it.... “Well ... that’s it is it!” A tear ran down her face. The door opened and Jed stood there furiously. “You know you have got a nerve!” “what ?” “Telling me how to live my life.. you won’t even marry me! What’s this all for?” He opened out his arms wide and looked around the timber cabin. “I know its not much...but” “This is not about YOU?” Anna took a breath “This is about them.. and how they are killing our sea life!! You know in 28 years from now we won’t have any animals in the sea! That can’t be right!!” Jed look down at his feet and shuffled them. “It’s not right.. “ “So why be part of it” Anna appealed Jed shrugged his shoulders. She copied him “what does that mean?” “what can I do..” “You stop..” “Yea right.. We loose everything “ “We’d have to start again..” “I cant” “You can..” “It’s the only thing I know” he muttered She leaned forward.. “sorry” “It’s the only thing I know “ he shouted. “My grandfather was a fisherman, my father was a fisherman and now I am. It’s all I know” “That is ridiculous... listen to yourself!! You said it yourself you won’t have a job in 20 years time!!” “It’s not ridiculous..” “... and the animals!! Are you really going out whale hunting tomorrow? It is illegal..” “Anna ... please “ “It’s illegal... Jed” “Anna... if you want to go and get yourself a job go ahead!! Rather than have you face in books all the time!” “I am studying my PHD” “In marine biology..” he sniggered “that’ll be a waste of time won’t it” “ no thanks to you all!!” “Bitch..” “Arsehole” Anna stormed out of the lounge and into their bedroom. She heard the front door slam, sending a shudder through the wooden timbers. Anna pulled back the net curtains and she watched him walking out to the jetty. The red glow ignited as he lit a cigarette. She had never seen Jed so angry!! Anna climbed into bed and switched off her side light. She closed her eyes but the images replayed inside her head. Had she gone over the top. A several hours later Jed returned home smelling of smoke, he took off his clothes and climbed into bed. She lay there still awake hoping he would snuggle up to her. She could feel his naked body. “Anna.., I know you are awake.” Anna lay motionless “Anna, I know you are pretending that you are asleep” Jed paused “but I have been thinking.. you right. What I am doing is wrong.. and for that reason. I want you to leave. When I come back from the hunt tomorrow... I want you to be gone. This will never work.. you a marine biologist and me a murderer”. Anna looked out to the sea. They would be gone hours. Should she stay or should she go.