Complication

Chapter Four

Michael stood on the balcony as the boat rose methodically up and down on the swells of the Great River. It was midday and he could feel the heat of the high sun touching his shoulders through his shirt. He took deep and deliberate breaths and wondered if it was the heat or the sway of the boat that made him feel so woozy. A quiet shuffle on the deck behind him made him turn.

It was Debora, her office shoes scuffing on the wood planks. She held the stem of a wine glass between her finger tips and swirled it back and forth.

“It doesn’t look like you're having much fun,” she said. Michael smiled at her.

“Actually, I feel a little sick.” He put a hand over his stomach. “I don’t do well on the water. Besides, I find it funny that you would be scolding me about not having enough fun.”

Debora laughed unexpectedly. “I have fun.” she said. “Wine is fun.” She held her glass up a little higher.

“I had no idea that you liked wine.” Michael turned back to the rail and leaned trustingly against it. Debora leaned next to him holding her glass out over the water.

“I do, but I shouldn’t. It makes me blotchy.” She touched her face. “You don't want to have any?”

“No thanks. We are here for work, not for pleasure.”

Debora's eyes grew wide. “Oh, should I get rid of this?”

Michael waved his hand at her. “No, go ahead, have fun. How many times will you be on a paddle wheel boat in the middle of the Great River?”

 She nodded. “It is sort of romantic.” Michael looked at her skeptically.

 “You know what I mean,” she said. “I didn’t mean that.” She moved away from him on the rail. “This isn’t my first glass,” she explained.

“What do you think we're going to find down there?” Michael asked, changing the subject. Debora shrugged. He turned around, leaned against the rail and looked in the windows of the boat. He saw the cool look of granite and hardwoods beneath the ceiling fans, the swirl of people and their wine. “It does look relaxing,” he said.

“It's burning hot out here,” Debora said. “Why don't you come in, take your mind off the watch for a few minutes? Have a drink. You wouldn't want the river spirits to get you.”

Michael rolled his eyes. She was joking of course, but he knew of the ancient myth. The Great River was not always running its current path. It was dug out by workers with one mission: to supply water and a source of energy for the Great City.

Many of those workers gave their lives and died on the spot. Some more devout workers even offered themselves up freely as a sacrifice, believing they were fulfilling a great commission. Now, mythology and religion say those spirits were pinned beneath the waters, sealed in. Some people warn that even the paddle wheels of large ships could stir them up. Others foretell of a day when the river will run dry - the muddy water will slip away like a vanishing line, and the spirits will be released. Nobody in Wind Quarry will eat the fish from the Great River, whether they believe the legend or not. Over time, it had become a cultural thing.

Michael pushed away from the rail and followed Debora inside. He was never a wine person. He wasn't much for alcohol at all actually, but he wanted to get his mind off the watch. It did the trick: he drank two glasses of white wine rather quickly, more quickly than he should have. Debora had another glass of red wine, then turned in for the night, leaving it half full on the bar.

Void of company, Michael grabbed a newspaper and found a corner chair to sit in. He stared at the text without reading, flipped through a few pages, looked at the pictures and almost drifted off to sleep, when a sound caught his attention.