Singing Parasite [On Hold]

1.7

"So this is what you wanted us to see?" Tyce asked as he stared at the creature that was lying on the seashore. The fat body of the animal was glistening in the sunshine, and the pink, amoeba-shaped hole in its grey, smooth skin was so big and deep that Tyce was befuddled by the fact that it was still breathing.

"Yes," Jane said. "He is hurt. Can't you do anything for him?"

"It c-can be a 'her' too, you know," Duston said while he fiddled with the red cap on his head. "Jane, a seal can also be a 'him' or 'her'."

The fat, wounded, seal started making a sound that was the mixture of an elephant's trumpet and a cock's crow. The noise was irritating. Tyce gritted his teeth. "Let's end its misery."

"Yes, please end his pain," Jane said.

She hadn't understood him. He wondered if he should tell her that he meant to kill the seal. Maybe he shouldn't. But then he thought otherwise and said, "We can't heal it. We'll have to kill it."

Jane gasped and grabbed his trousers. "Daddy. No."

"That's the only option. It's called euthanasia. Mercy killing. Doctors do that to their patients, too." He turned to Duston. "Ain't I right?"

"Yes. But I feel she is too young to know that, Mr. Mani." Duston sat on his haunches beside the crying animal and began examining the wounds. He sighed. "Yeah. There is no way we can fix a wound this deep. He is destined to die a painful death."

"So we should kill him, right?" Tyce asked.

Duston nodded.

"No..." Jane whispered but did not revolt.

Tyce looked up at the bright sky then back at his blue hut. "I'll go and look for a big stone. Jane, go back to our house. You don't need to see this."

This time she did revolt. "No! That would hurt him more."

"It can be a 'her', you know," Duston said.

"It doesn't matter whether it's a him or her if it's going to die in next five minutes," Tyce said. "I'll go and look for a rock."

"Noooo." Jane started tugging his pants. "Bad daddy. Abusive daddy."

"Jane--stop."

"NO." She kept on pulling and shaking him. "NO."

"If you don't mind," Duston said. "I have a suggestion. Rather than killing it with a rock we can kill it with anesthesia."

"But don't you guys use it to make your patients fall asleep?" Tyce said while Jane continued to shake him. "It can't kill, can it?"

"It can if given in high quantity," Duston said. "It will be a painless death."

That made Jane stop. She looked up at him. "Really?"

"Yes," Duston said confidently.

Jane looked at the seal. Its black, marble-like eyes looked in pain. "Oh-okay," Jane said and that settled it.

Duston returned with a syringe and two small glass bottles.

"You should go back home," Tyce told Jane.

"No, I want to tell him goodbye," Jane replied.

Duston looked up at her, probably wanting to tell her that the seal can be he and also she, but he apparently changed his mind and quietly injected the transparent liquid into the creature's blood. The seal's cries muffled down and then totally stopped. Its erratic breathing turned smooth and then a minute later, its stomach and chest stopped moving.