Heretical Fishing

Chapter 93: The Summoning

I leaned against Barry for support as I tried to stand.

"Barry."

"Aye?"

The world spun, and I grinned at him.

"You're the best, mate."

"No, Fischer," he slurred. "You're the best."

"Yes, yes—you're both the best," Maria said, helping us stand upright.

"No," Roger said.

I darted my head toward him, raised an eyebrow, and wobbled a little from the sudden shift in perspective.

Sharon, who was also drunk, but had stopped before we'd cracked into Barry's private reserve, patted his hand.

"Thank you, dear. I also think you're the best."

Roger's head wobbled as he tried to focus on her.

"I love you so much, you know that?"

She laughed and got to her feet.

"I think it's time we get you home, dear—it's well past midnight."

Roger stood abruptly and immediately fell back into his chair.

"Lots of work to do tomorrow," he mumbled, sounding as if his mouth were full of molasses.

Sharon held out a hand, and he grasped it.

She tried to help him to his feet, but she tottered over and fell atop him. She laughed at herself as she got back to her feet and helped Roger up. He put an arm over her shoulder, and she held him around the waist.

"Fischer. Barry." Roger nodded. "Goodbye."

I threw my hand up, waving at them.

"Thanks again for the food, guys. You were lovely."

I narrowed my eyes at myself—that wasn't right...

"I mean, the stew was lovely. The best—absolute tastiest stew I've ever had. Thank you."

"You're most welcome," Sharon said, smiling at me. "See you all tomorrow."

"Gods above, your stew Sharon," Roger slurred as they walked away. "If we weren't already married, I'd..."

His voice trailed off as they closed the gate behind them, and I heard Sharon giggle from the dark of night.

I spun back toward Maria and Barry—too fast, evidently, as I almost fell over. Maria grasped my shoulder, holding me upright, and I beamed my most charming smile at her.

"You know what, Maria? You're the best."

***

Maria saw Fischer wobble and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"You know what, Maria? You're the best."

He smiled at her, his face flushed and one eye closed slightly more than the other.

She laughed at just how drunk he was. She wasn't sure if they were all lightweights, or if Barry's second batch of rum was that strong, but once the two men remaining had cracked open that bottle, Barry only had one drink, and Fischer had three, yet here they were, absolutely “plastered”, as Fischer kept saying.

Barry, finally registering what Fischer had said, nodded his agreement.

"It's true, Maria. Your whole family—I'm so glad we're neighbors, you know that? I love you all so much."

She pet him on the shoulder.

"Love you too, Barry."

"Thank you." He wobbled and turned to the look around, confusion clear on his face. "Where’s Helen?"

Fischer barked a laugh.

"She took Paul to bed ages ago, mate—you're drunk."

"Ohhh, that's right."

Fischer slung an arm around his shoulder.

"Barry..."

He leaned in, conspiratorial.

"I felt something odd tonight..." Fischer tilted sideways, but Barry pulled him back. "Thanks mate, but stop changing the subject. Have you been giving Helen sugarcane juice?"

Barry, with all the agility of an inebriated donkey, slowly spun his head toward Fischer.

"... maybe," he replied, giggling.

"Oh, you scoundrel!"

They both laughed, heads going back as they roared their delight.

Maria, not having the first clue what they were talking about, shook her head with a smile.

Barry rubbed his cheeks, his giggles still coming in small bursts.

"Ah, I needed that. I should get going, though. Roger was right—there's a lot of work to do tomorrow."

"Are you alright to get home by yourself?" she asked.

"Me? I'm fine," he slurred, sounding anything but. "I'll see you two tomorrow."

Barry ambled off, swaying chaotically with each step.

"See ya, mate!" Fischer called, entirely too loud, and Barry held a hand above his head, waving goodbye.

"Alright, Fischer," Maria said. "Let's get you to bed."

He nodded, hiccuped, then paused.

"We have to do something first."

***

As I wandered through the dark, I spied my quarry.

"There you are Snips, you little scamp! Come here and let me love you."

I bent down and hugged her, taking solace in her sturdy carapace.

"Uh, Fischer..." Maria said from beside me. "That's a rock."

I squinted as I pulled my head back.

"So it is. Rock crab—rock. What's the difference, really?"

"Well, in this case, the rock won't hug you back."

"I don't know... that rock was a pretty good hugger."

I heard a joyous hiss and turned just in time to see Snips walking from beneath my porch.

"Come here, you," I said, holding my arms wide.

I didn't see her move, only felt her body collide with mine, then my back hit the sand.

I accepted my sandy fate and held Snips close as I looked up at the starry sky.

"How was the meal, Snips?"

She bubbled her delight and pressed her carapace into me.

Maria's head appeared high above me, obstructing the night sky as she peered down. Her hair hung toward me, and I noticed a strand slip from behind her ear.

"Comfy down there?"

Despite what I knew to be a cool night, I was as warm as freshly baked bread, and the sand felt soft as a cloud.

"I've never felt more comfortable ground."

She let out a soft chuckle, covering her mouth. The moonlight lit her hair from behind, and my heart rose into my throat at her attractive face and easy laughter.

"And," I added. "I've never seen a more beautiful sight."

She rolled her eyes.

"You're drunk."

"True," I conceded. "But you're still beautiful."

"Hmm." She rubbed her chin in feigned thought. "Can I trust him, Snips?"

Snips, missing the intended humor in Maria's question, nodded vigorously and blew a stream of affirmative bubbles.

"There you have it!" I declared. "I'm drunk and trustworthy."

"Mostly drunk, though. Come on, let's get you to bed."

I accepted her offered hand, and she pulled me from the sand.

"Is Cinnamon safe?" I asked Snips.

Snips nodded and pointed to the door.

"She's asleep inside?"

She nodded again.

"Thank you, Snips. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Sergeant Snips, who had clung to me as Maria helped me up, rubbed the side of her face against my arm, then leapt to the floor and waved a claw.

"You're off to sleep in the pond?"

Positive bubbles.

"Sleep well, alright? I love you."

She returned my feelings with one last stream of bubbles, waved goodbye to Maria, and disappeared into the dark of night.

"Snips is the best," I said as Maria helped me toward the door.

"She is, isn't she?" Maria agreed, laughing. "Wait there a second."

“Huh?” I asked, not understanding, but then Maria started brushing my back, legs, and head free of sand.

"A bed full of sand wouldn't have been nice to wake up to." She patted me on the back. "All done."

I ambled inside, squinting into the dark.

***

As Fischer stepped inside, he leaned to the side almost immediately.

"Woah!" Maria said, reaching out and stabilizing him. "Easy there."

Fischer laughed at himself as they walked forward together, and he reached an arm out to grab his doorway, then turned to face her.

"Did you want to stay the night?"

Maria's face went hot, but before she could speak, he continued.

"Er—in one of the other beds, I mean. I'm drunk. You're more than welcome to have a shower and spend the night. Er, have a shower alone, I mean."

Maria felt her face going bright, and Fischer shook his head.

“My words aren't working so good right now. Sorry.”

"Thank you, Fischer, but I should get back home. My father will be worried if he wakes and I'm not there—I just wanted to make sure you made it to bed and didn't fall asleep in the ocean."

Fischer beamed.

"What would I do without you?"

"You'd wake up with crabs."

"That sounds pinchy," he said as Maria helped him walk to the bed.

As she tried to lower him down to the sheets, Maria let out a grunt.

"What on Kallis are you made of, Fischer? You're lean but heavy as stone."

"I grew big and strong from eating so much fish."

He flexed an arm; Maria snorted and patted his chest.

"If you say so."

Fischer let out a sigh as he stretched his arms out, rubbing them over his cool sheets.

"Ahhh, my sweet, sweet bed. I missed you."

Maria bent and pulled up his blankets, and when she brought them up to his face, she paused.

Fischer's eyes were closed, a broad smile stretched over his face.

She stared at him for a long moment, her heart fluttering, then she bent and kissed him on the forehead.

"Goodnight, Fischer," she said, running fingers through his hair.

Fischer didn't respond; he'd already fallen asleep.

Maria walked from the room, gave the sleeping heretic one last glance, then closed the door behind her.

***

When Maria got home, her mother was waiting for her.

Sharon’s face was grim, and Maria’s thoughts of Fischer were immediately whisked away.

“Mom…? What’s wrong…?”

Sharon gave her a sad smile.

“I need to tell you something, Maria. I probably shouldn’t, but as your mother… what choice do I have?”

“Mom… you’re scaring me. What is it…?”

Her mother put her head in her hands, clearly conflicted. She stayed in the position for a long moment, and when she looked back up, her jaw was set, her eyes unyielding.

“It’s about Fischer. There’s something you should know before things between you develop any further…”

***

Some hours later, atop a two-story building in Tropica, Gary, the lone disciple of the Cult of the Leviathan’s Tropica branch, let out a tired sigh.

"The sun will be up soon..."

Sebastian said nothing, merely growled, so Gary peered at him.

Sweat poured from Sebastian's forehead, and his entire body was tense, trembling with the effort.

"Maybe it will work tomorrow..." Gary tried, but other than a deepening scowl, there was no response from Sebastian.

Gary sighed again and looked up at the stars above.

"Gary..." Sebastian ground out, his voice shaky.

"Yes, Master?"

"Can you not feel that, Gary?"

"Erm, feel what, Master?"

Sebastian's breaths were heavy, and a handful rang out into the night before he responded.

"We're almost there—something is coming. But..."

His speech paused, his lungs working like bellows before continuing.

"I need you to help. Focus, Gary. Close your eyes and do your damned job!"

The last work came as a screech, and Gary winced.

I hope that didn't wake anyone up, he thought. Mrs Jenkins next door has it hard enough with a young child. An unhinged man screaming in the middle of the—

"Gary!" Sebastian yelled again. "Focus!"

Jolted from his thoughts, Gary let out a sigh.

Maybe if I try for a bit, he'll let me go to bed...

He closed his eyes and tried to send his awareness down into the ground, just as Sebastian had instructed repeatedly.

He imagined moving down through the roof, past the ground floor, and deep into the sandy soil that was Tropica's foundation.

To Gary's immeasurable surprise, something was there.

His eyebrows furrowed as he sensed a power below, something that seemed to reach for him. It was far, far away, but his soul subconsciously leapt at the challenge, and before he knew it, he was beckoning it forward.

Sweat sprouted from his forehead, yet he barely felt it. The bulk of his awareness was grasping below, clutching for that which wanted to be freed.

Something else was there beside him, and after a moment of bewilderment, he realized it was Sebastian, similarly calling the power forward.

"Good, Gary..." his Master ground out through gritted teeth.

At Sebastian's praise, Gary realized his error.

He snapped back to his body, his eyes going wide; he'd been helping! There really was something coming, something which Sebastian intended to sic on Fischer, and he had been complicit.

Gary focused on the surrounding roof, trying to ignore the power below.

No, not a power, he realized. Acreature...

Now that he was no longer helping, he'd hoped the thing’s attention would spiral back down, but his hopes were dashed when he felt it still coming, growing stronger with each passing second.

He focused on Sebastian. The leader's body was drenched in sweat, shaking violently from the effort he exerted.

Gary shot to his feet.

If I attack him, distract him, maybe—

A pulse of energy slammed into him, and he fell to his knees, his vision going fuzzy.

As his vision cleared, he watched a grin spread over Sebastian's face. It started small, vaguely content, but grew into something vicious within the space of a breath.

The air between them condensed, and reality itself shattered. A crack tore into existence, oozing black smoke darker than night.

A paw the size of Gary's head stepped through, and hopelessness took him as he realized the summoning was a success.