Dionysia

4

He was an eye of the hurricane, drifting in the middle of both his parents arguing. They were both in the kitchen, yelling at each other, while Denny sat a couple of yards away from the ranch, near the riverbank. With his legs and arms folded, he relapsed to the horrific events that went on today, the darkness of the night enveloping his fears.

"Please, Louis, try to understand," he heard his mother say from the window. "This will shock Dennis for the rest of his life! Why should we care about money right now?"

"Because it's our life he's fucked over!" Louis shouted back, as Denny could hear the disappointment in his voice. "How are we supposed ta compensate this man's rehab that insurance an' the company won't cover? Now we've got to pay for the ranch, the marina, an' now this?"

It was overwhelming for his pa. Denny knew this beforehand, still making sure he caused trouble even now. How could he have done something so stupid and unsafe to Mister David, who was now probably in the hospital. Thankfully, they heard the news that he hadn't died from blood loss, but needed extensive surgery from doctors and nurses.

The bad news was...Mister David filed a lawsuit against Denny for workplace negligence. Denny also lost his job at Blazen Materials, with a report that it'd be unsafe for the plant if he kept working there with little experience. This accident caused Denny not only to lose his influx of money to the family but also to make them pay more than they already should.

All in all, things had turned for the worse.

"I've got to sell it," Louis continued, talking about the marina. "It's already damaged to shit, so what's the point of tryin' to keep it running?"

Denny tried covering his ears as best he could, but the echoes of Louis's disapproval kept drilling into them. He lay on the ranch hill, eyes facing the moon as it reflected off the Mississippi. The river water was serene tonight, opposite to what was going on inside the ranch. It tempted Denny to jump in and keep swimming.

Yet, that would mean he'd be running away from everything. He'd be dodging the problems he caused, the damage he dealt with, and the anxieties he thought of for the future.

On the other hand, would running away solve the problem? If he didn't exist along with family and friends, there'd be no way of him screwing them over.

My life is cursed, Denny realized, digging his fingernails in the dirt. No, it's not the world, it's me. I've been given a great life, but purposely choose the wrong decisions every time. It's my fault that I'm cursed.

So, what should he do now? He couldn't go back inside, since Aurelia and Louis were still quarreling with each other in the kitchen. Maybe it was best if he slept outside tonight, as the skies above advised Denny that it'd be clear and quiet. He could listen to the Mississippi, and life across it in New Orleans.

Speaking of New Orleans, Denny's idea came back for the moment. Thinking on it more, he figured that there weren't many other options he could take. To be honest, he couldn't think at all about everything that had happened today. All Denny could understand was that he was tired right now.

He rested his head on a dirt mound, noticing it formed from the hurricane and the rising river water. It was surprisingly comfortable, easing Denny's racing emotions and thoughts. Tomorrow he would apologize to Mister David and his family, and start looking for a new job. It would be tough, but it was what Louis would tell him to do in this situation.

That was...until the grass rustled.

Why was he hearing it rustle? Of course, the grass rustled, as winds always picked up more because they were near the Mississippi. But the rustling came from the west, which differed from Denny's observation of the wind from the east.