Numb: The Ritual Forgotten - Part Seven

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Oh, what the hell’s the use!? Alcoholics Anonymous Journal of Louis Fielding

No electricity, that’s was how this started out. Then what happened? Well, I’ll tell ya! After that we lost food, medical supplies, and now water…and we’re on a bloody lake! Not to mention that kid is driving me insane. I read over some of my previous journal entries, I must have been on something when I wrote them because this child…NO! This “thing,” is nothing like what I’ve written. He’s annoying, he’s always interrupting me while I’m working, and you would think the kid doesn’t want to be rescued.

And I could still use that drink. Last night I had a fabulous dream where Samuel Adams and me went bar hopping, and along the way we met up with the Budweiser Frogs, and the Girl in the Moon, and the Schmirnoff

Oh! Great! Just great! Can’t I get a moment’s rest around here without that kid interrupting? I know you’re hungry you little punk! So am I! So is half the world!

-Louis Fielding

Louis tried to swallow in a dry throat as he screwed the radio back together. Thankfully, William had long past out for some reason Louis didn’t know of, nor did he care. For Louis he didn’t often get chances like these to just sit down and work, using his time to do something other than baby-sit a kid who should by now be learning about the big bad world.

He hit the side of the radio, trying to get it to work. It was making noises reminiscent of a dieing cat, but it wasn’t picking up anything.

The sun was passing down, about to go to sleep, as he should be doing. He hadn’t slept the night before, staying up all night to work on the radio which he saw as they’re only salvation. Well, he saw it as his only salvation; he no longer cared for the well being of that stupid creature that hung to him like a parasite. No matter where he was, the little human was there. No matter what he was doing, that little human was always right behind him ready to screw it up.

“Well, you ain’t doing it to me now, no sir,” Louis breath moving the radio dial up and down. “Now is the time where we find out if we live or die. And I want to live I know that much. I can’t speak for you, you little -”

“Hello this is Mike calling am I reaching anyone? Over.”

Louis couldn’t believe it! He began to laugh and jump for joy at his accomplishment. He had fixed the radio, and here was proof! A person! An actual human being who he could talk to!

“Repeat: Hello this is Mike calling am I reaching anyone? Over.”

Louis grabbed the microphone attached to the radio. “Mike! Mike! This is Louis Fielding out on Lake Superior! Over.”

For a moment there was static. Oh God! Louis pleaded. Still be there! Still be there!

“Hey Louis, how are you doing? Over.”

“Not good man. I’ve been stuck out here for nearly four days no food, water polluted with out own fuel leak. Please send help immediately. Over.”

“Are you pulling my leg? Over.”

Louis was shocked, the man didn’t believe him! “Listen this is not a joke! Repeat: this is not a joke! My son and I have been floating on this lake for four days, we need rescue do you understand me? Rescue! Over.”

“Okay, now you listen to me you punk. There were hundreds of people that died out there four days ago because of that storm, and I’m not going to sit here and let you poke fun at they’re memories for some sick joke! Over and out!”

“No! No don’t go!” But it was too late, the connection was broken.

Louis looked around the Steering Room in disbelief and suddenly began to laugh. Why did he laugh? He didn’t know, it was all just so funny. What was funny about it? He didn’t know, it just was.

Still laughing at the situation Louis spotted a fire-axe in a glass case saying, “Break only in case of an emergency.” In Louis’ mind this was definitely an emergency. Using only his hand he smashed open the glass and grabbed the axe. His hand burned with pain as he gripped the rubber handle of the weapon. Hysteria and rage fueled his mind as he slammed the axe into the radio.

“Sick joke? I’ll show you a sick joke!”

Then he turned. William lay sleeping near the rear of the boat.

It must be his fault, Louis thought. It’s always his fault. It was his fault Clara and I divorced, it was his fault that I had to spend the rest of my life as a trucker, it was his fault that we went on this trip. This must be his fault!

Louis advanced on the sleeping child, he had always been a deeply religious man, but murder in the service of God was acceptable…wasn’t it. After all the kid was only seven, his sins weren’t hefty enough to warrant an eternity in hell.

Fielding looked up and the sky, after all, if it’s good for you it’s also good for me. He looked back down at William and his stomach growled louder than ever. William’s eyes opened slowly, he squinted through exhaustion and a headache brought on by the infection.

“Daddy?” he asked staring at the axe.

Louis didn’t allow for anymore. It was God’s will, he knew it was. What else could God want? William was put on this world for this purpose and it was time he returned to his creator. With one swing Louis brought the axe down and imbedded it into William’s seven-year-old skull. His tiny body stiffened and then went limp.

Unsure of how to precede Louis started small. He cut off the fingers one at a time and placed them into his mouth. The meat was stringier than anything he had ever eaten, but not at all bad, the sweet flavor of the blood and the gradual filling of his stomach made Louis smile. The sun began to set and Louis looked on it in amazement, it seemed so much more beautiful now that hunger and thirst were quenched.

There was a sudden screech of a microphone from behind Louis.

“This is the United States Coast Guard. Is there anyone aboard this ship?”