Dead Water

The Snake

We watch as Papas body is slowly lowered into the shallow grave and he is covered with dead rocky soil, and his death lingers on top of the heavy grief we already bear. I remember a documentary I once watched about how people up in the mountain used to leave their dead for scavengers like vultures and eagles. We can't do that here. There aren't any scavengers. I'd be surprised if any were even still alive. We walk home, Carla in my arms. She sniffs a few times, empty tears rolling down her dust covered face. I envy her. She never knew father, and she's young enough to escape the grief. 

We arrive home to find a snake standing in the kitchen. Not an actual snake. That would've been a far more welcome surprise. Richard Adolven, the Wolves tax collector. The crime syndicates controlled certain areas and demanded taxes. They claimed it was for protection and to begin "restoring our beautiful world". Bullshit, and everyone knew it. All the money went to the tax collectors' and the higher ups pockets. Or it went to their secret police and personnel armies. The great resource war was over but small ones happened all the time. The armies were ruthless, as were the tax collectors and Adolven was no exception, earning him the name "The Snake". He smiles as we walk in, a sight that has always sent a shiver down my spine. I shift Carla so my arms are wrapped more protectively around her. 

"Good day girls. Ms. Hamburch." He says in a cold slippery tone.

"Mrs" Mother reminds him curtly. She grabs an envelope from the family safe, and hands it to him. "There. Now please leave." But he didn't. He stood there and carefully counted the colorful bills. Isetopes, the new world currency. He counted them extremely slowly. He finished and looked at Mother with a cold sneer.

"You're light, MS. Hamburch" He snarls.

"MRS. Hamburch. And I'm not. I counted." Mother snarls back.

"Even after the new tax raise?" He says smiling. 

"What tax raise?"

"It went up 25 Isetopes. It went into effect this morning." 

"But that's not fair!" Carla blurts out. I shield her and shush her. Adolven looks at us and walks over. He bends down and stares at Carla. 
"No. It's not. But life's not very fair, is it little Carla" He lingers on her name. Carla whimpers and shrinks against me. I turn her away from him. Then, like the sun emerging from behind a dark storm cloud, Mother steps between us. She shoves the bills in his face and says in a strained voice: "Here's your money. Now get the hell out of my house." Adolven, counts the bills. He smiles and tucks them into the envelope. He walks to the door. "Good day girls." Then just before he closes the door, he looks at Mother with a cold grin. "Ms. Hanburch." He shuts the door, and we hear him whistling as he walks away. We stand staring at the door until the whistling finally disappears. Then Mother sprints and locks the door. She comes bac over to us and hugs us both tightly, providing the type of warmth and love that only a mother can give.