and up to greet her friend.
They left in a boat yesterday. Something must
have happened because they were supposed to
come back for me.
May is looking a little consternated, but her friend has hardened her
face. They both turn to go up the hill, the friend’s arm around May’s
frail frame. May’s friend says grimly
I never did like that man.
Finegan is bargaining with the farm matron. She complains that the
group staying with her
7
Ate everything.
Ready to barter, Finegan says
I’ve got some fine fish here, fresh from last
night, and if you let me stay for dinner I’d be
obliged.
Finegan reaches behind him to pull a rusty child’s wagon out and heaves
the wooden box of fish into it. They set out up the hill, side by side,
chatting.
How’d you catch all that? We don’t get but an
occasional with the line.
The sky is beginning to turn orange, signaling eventide.
______________________________
Fish are sizzling in a pan placed over a campfire. Finegan is milling
around in the background, talking to several people over a pile of junk
that has been assembled. There are children in the group, curious as
always.
A man jogs up holding what looks like a radio setup, including a long
stiff wire that has been used as an antenna. Finegan takes this in his
hands and looks it over, talking to the man at the same time, and
glancing up at the rooftop.
Can’t get anything from there?
The man shakes his head.
Not lately. I think the base tower went down.
The group is drifting away, moving toward the picnic table in
anticipation of supper. The farm matron comes up from behind Finegan
and begins talking behind him, so the group won’t be alerted to their
conversation. She has a bag of onions hanging from one hand, her barter
for the fish, to explain why she is approaching him. Finegan looks up,
but does not yet turn around to face her, sensing the agenda.
The farm matron speaks quietly.
I have a favor to ask. We’ve got little Joey
here, was trapped here with his grandad when
the waters started to rise. Grandpa died
yesterday, and the boy wants to go home. Take
the boy up aways and give his folks the body.
I’m afraid if you don’t do this, someone here
will eat him.
8
Finegan nods, then turns for their official conversation about the
onions.
Fine mess you have there! Keep well too. You
grow these here?
As the farm matron backs away, Finegan moves to the side to address an
old timer at the fringe.
Finegan is desperate for a drink, the burning issue on his alcohol
sopped mind. Of all the casualties in the flood, the disappearance of
readily available booze has been the worst, to his way of thinking.
Where you folks keep the still?
The old timer laughs and points.
Out yonder in the flood.
9
Chapter 2: Burial at Sea
The following morning Finegan has a couple passengers on the houseboat.
Joey is sleeping at the side of his dead grandpa, who has been wrapped
in a sheet. Joey has one arm over the chest of the corpse, his head
resting on grandpa’s shoulder despite the flies beginning to buzz
about. Finegan is standing in the doorway of the house, arms folded,
looking at the scene and pondering.
Barney had been sleeping next to Joey, but looks up at Finegan
expectantly. Feeling Barney move, Joey wakens. He points across the
water.
We lived over there, but yonder, behind that
hill.
Seeing the cloud of buzzing flies, Finegan is seeking a quick solution.
You ever heard of burial at sea?
Joey is clearly anxious about being separated from his only flesh and
blood relative at hand, even if the flesh and blood are not too
responsive.
But then I could never go visit my granpa!
Finegan unties the houseboat and peddals out into open water, away from
any danger of sunken trees. Joey is at the front of the boat, holding
onto one of the corner posts, pointing on occasion as he sees a
landmark he recognizes.
The corpse has been moved up to the front of the boat and positioned so
it is sitting up, as though grandpa were participating in the
homecoming. The flies have gotten thicker now, buzzing around in angry
swarms.
As the houseboat moves along in a parallel line to the new coastline,
it rounds the hill Joey had been pointing to, and Joey can suddenly see
the spot where his home used to be. He gets a stunned look on his face,
stumbles backwards toward grandpa and falls into his lap. Joey is
batting at the buzzing flies and starting to tear up. He scrambles to
his feet and up onto the rooftop where he can face Finegan.
That’s the house, there, in the water!
The one-story suburban ranch house is situated on a hillside so that
the basement is developed with a patio out into the backyard. The house
is flooded to the extent that the basement is under water by a couple
feet. The house appears to be deserted.
10
______________________________
Finegan and Joey slosh up toward the basement sliding doors. Joey is
calling for his mom and dad, but the house is empty. Finegan pulls on
the sliding doors and after a few tugs manages to get one to slide
open. They wade into the basement, developed as a rec room with a pool
table. Finegan heads straight toward the bar and begins rummaging
around. He finds a half filled bottle of whiskey, and looks at it with
satisfaction, puts it on the counter and checks for more.
Joey is clamoring up the stairs in search of his family but returns,
standing at the top of the stairs.
They’re gone.
Finegan has his whiskey bottle and some other booze he has located,
half filled bottles, in an ice pail tucked under his arm as he mounts
the stairs.
Did they leave a note?
The house has an open style, so there are no walls between the kitchen
and living areas. Finegan and Joey are looking around on table tops,
the refrigerator door, the bathroom mirror, and the kitchen counter
top, but are finding no indication of anything but disorganized panic.
Some items of clothing have been left on the sofa. A glass of juice
sits half empty on the kitchen countertop.