Shark Attack

Shark attack

By I.M. Bolt

Dan puts his head in his hands. Ivan is going on, again.

"I told you this is easy" he says "all we do is file the suit. Then you walk in on court day looking like that" he points at Harry again, and says "Then I talk about how the big bad corporation got you sick dumping chemicals in the stream that runs through your backyard"

Dan looks up at Ivan. They have known each other what, 3, 4 years? Since they met senior year at State. Then Ivan goes of to D. Law, and comes back a damn shark.

He is sick of it.

Ivan always has had his hand out. Has a scheme to get someone to put something into it.

He's really sick of it. Almost as sick as he is from the cancer

"It wasn't my backyard" he adds, feeble as a dead breeze.

"Figure of speech"

"It wasn't even my town"

"Jury doesn't know that and the Corp can't prove it"

There's blood in the water now.

"Trace amounts"

Ivan looks at Dan with a face full of 'give me a break'.

"That doesn't look like trace amounts"

"Thanks" says Dan "for reminding me again how much I look like shit"

"You're welcome" says Ivan, laughing.

Dan puts his head back in his hands, eyes tight shut against the world outside. The problem is, the world inside is worse. His head swims. He breathes deep and slow, but the air escaping ends in a ragged cough.

Dan knows he's in trouble. He has no job. No insurance and no money left. He'll be on the street soon and then what? Sick and homeless. The company didn't cause his condition, but they have money and Ivan is really good at what he does.

He feels it all closing in on him. Crushing what's left of his body and his spirit.

Ivan is quiet now. Silent as his namesake cruising the swirling water around its prey.

Dan feels the last of his strength leave his body, and take his soul with it. He's dead. Just a piece of meat floating in the water now.

"Do it", he says.

Ivan says nothing. He just cracks a wide, toothy grin, pulls some paperwork out of this briefcase, and goes for the kill...

C.   I.M. Bolt 2018