The Untold Story of Klaus Heissler
Prologue
2045
"We're here!" I shouted as soon as I opened the front door. I put my coat and hat on the coat rack. My wife, Clara, did the same thing. Our German Shepard, Horst Zwei raced upstairs to greet Axel's robotic dog, Buster. The two dogs sniffed each other. Clara closed the door after us.
When I returned to Germany (When I was human), I couldn't find my first wife, Caroline, my daughter, Adie, or my dog, Horst anywhere. Clara and her daughter, Monica who was 12 at the time, were visiting from Maine. I fell in love with Clara. We went back to America and married a few months afterwards.
"Hallo? Monica honey, are you here? Hallo?"
"Maybe she went out for a bit." Clara suggested.
"Well, we told her we'd be here at noon, and it's noon."
"Maybe she got into traffic." Horst Zwei then barked at us from the top of the stairs. I looked at him.
"What is it boy?" I asked him. Our dog barked again and went into the kitchen. Buster went after him. We grabbed the railing and followed after him.
Now that I'm out of that blasted fish body, it's been much easier for me to move about. I have been a human over two decades now.
Horst Zwei was a pup when I got him. He was a Christmas gift from my daughter and my 4-year old grandson and he has been living with Clara and me for six years now.
We went to the fridge. I bent down and petted my dog. Buster was beside us. Clara petted him so he wouldn't feel left out.
"What is it boy? What do you have to show us?"
"Klaus, look!" My wife said. I stood up and looked at a note on the fridge. I squinted at the writing. 'Went to Axel's school. Be back soon.' Monica.
"Why do you supposed she went to Axel's school?" Clara wanted to know. "I hope it's not because we're here. That boy needs his education." I just gave her a shrug.
"I don't know." I admitted. "Maybe he forgot his lunch."
Just then, the door opened. Horst Zwei and Buster went off to check it out. We went with him. There, down below on the stairs was Monica and Axel. I expected a hug from him, but instead Axel gave me a scowl. He ran up the stairs.
"How you doing, kindern?" I asked. He didn't answer. Instead, he stopped and looked into my face.
"Tell them the truth, Grandpa!" He said and huffed off into his room.
"What's with him?" I wanted to know. My wife and I looked at Monica for an explanation.
"He got suspended from school today." She told us.
"Why?" I wanted to know. "What did he do?"
"He told this boy that you were a fish and you were living with this family, and this boy called him a liar and they fought."
"Oh." I just said. I didn't tell her that I was a fish and living with the Smiths. I didn't even tell my own wife.
"I'll go talk to him." I offered and went towards his room. I knocked on his door.
"Knock, knock, knockity!" I said.
"Go away!" I heard Axel say.
"Axel, can I talk to you?" He didn't answer so I just invited myself in. Axel was petting Horst Zwei. Buster was nearby. When Axel saw me, he stopped and crossed his hands over his chest.
"What do you want, Grandpa?" He said crossly. I went to his bed and sat on the edge of it.
"Go Horst Zwei and Buster." I told them. The dogs went out of the room leaving Axel and me alone. I looked at my grandson.
"I heard you had a fight today at school." I started out.
"Well, yeah. But Eric was asking for it." He then looked at me. "And you know what he said? He said that you were an old fart and that I was a liar."
"Oh he did, did he?"
"Yes. And then when Mom came, she didn't believe it either. She grounded me for picking a fight and for telling 'wild, nonsense stories'; you told me the truth Grandpa, so why can't you tell Grandma and Mom?" I hesitated. "Did you tell me the truth Grandpa?" I did a big sigh.
"Ja, I did."
"Then why can't you tell them, Grandpa? Why can't you tell the truth like you did with me?"
"I don't know." The truth was I didn't tell them because I was afraid of how they would react.
"It's because you're afraid isn't it? Well, thanks to you my mom grounded me and since I can't go to school for a week, I can't take you and Grandma for Grandparents' Day. And even if I could go, I wouldn't want to go with a big liar like you!" That really hurt.
"Axel, I'm so sorr…"
"Just leave me alone."
"Axel…"
"Go, get out of here; I hate you Grandpa!" That stung like a swarm of bees stinging all at once. I slowly went out of the room.
I sat on the sofa and sighed, staring into space. I then felt something on my lap. I looked. Horst Zwei had his paw on my lap. He cocked his head and put his nose on my lap. I smiled and petted him. Buster lay on the couch.
"You think I should tell them?" I asked. He just looked at me with his big sad eyes. I looked at Buster on the couch.
"You think I should tell them too?" Buster got up on his four paws and barked in his metallic way, wagging his robotic tail. "Yeah okay, I'll tell them." That's what I like about dogs. No matter how crappy your day was, I could always tell him and he'll listen to my every word, unlike the Smiths. I stood up.
"Monica, Clara." I said. "I have a confession to make." I did another sigh. This wasn't going to be easy. They appeared at my side.
"What is it, honey?" My wife asked.
"I, I…" I said.
"What, Dad?" Monica wanted to know. Axel then came. I looked at him. He looked back and gave me a death stare. I sighed for a third time. I needed to do this for Axel. I looked at them.
"I was a fish." I told them. Both my wife and daughter's jaws dropped. My grandson gave me a new look of surprise.
"What?" Monica questioned.
"I was a fish." I repeated. "A goldfish to be exact."
"You were?" Clara said. "You never told me."
"I never told you and Monica because I was afraid of how you two would react."
"That would explain why you flop up and down in bed when you have bad dreams, your collection of toy scuba divers; one in particular named Carlos, your sudden seizures, flopping up and down, repeating the phase; 'I am not a fish, I am not a fish', your craving for fish food and occasionally, your fear of the toilet."
"Yeah, just be thankful I don't poop and pee on the in my pants and on the floor."
"You did those few times and you peed and pooped on the floor that one time."
"Oh yeah, I did."
"Whoa, whoa!" Monica spoke. "Hold the phone! Axel was right?" I looked at him and smiled. He smiled back at me.
"He sure was." Axel turned to his mom.
"I told you, mom!" He told her. "I told you Grandpa wasn't lying!"
"Okay, I'm sorry." She told him.
"Can I have animal crackers and apple juice as Grandpa tells us his story?"
"Fine, whatever." Axel scurried into the kitchen.
We were in the family room. I sat on the sofa as my wife, daughter and grandson sat on the couch facing me. Axel had his animal crackers and his apple juice. Horst Zwei lay on the floor chewing on a bone, next to Buster chewing on his own bone.
"No side stories Grandpa!" Axel told me.
"Okay kiddo!" I stated. "Never fear; I'll only tell you one story and one story only." Then all eyes were on me, eagerly waiting for me to start my tale.
"It all started in the year 1986." I began.