Among Men and Beasts

Chapter 1

I've long enjoyed going down to my grandfather's pond to spend the day fishing. Granted I don't always quite get that big catch to have hung up in the living room, but I don't need any proof when I'm around the fire telling stories of catching fish bigger than the one that swallowed Jonah. Also, it ain't really about what you catch rather the time spent on a boat with either just your Daddy or your Paw and talking about life's greatest marvels.  Either that or about the times where Paw was still young and kicking and tried doing something stupid and unsafe to impress whatever girl he came across. He tells us that these stories are cautionary tales and so that I don't go around doing the same mistakes. But seeing that gleam in his eyes, he's either bragging or trying to relive those memories. Dad said that when he was a kid, Mawmaw must have put lead in Paw's boots to keep him from running into who knows what kind of trouble. Needless to say where it not for his tall tales, I don't think I'd have liked fishing too much.

The dirt back-road made the truck bounce around with every stray rock that went under the wheels. Sitting on the bed made it my responsibility to keep all the gear from flying out. I couldn't hear him because the window was closed but I could tell that every bump made Dad curse under his breath. He was always the kind that let the smallest things get to him but usually he was able to hold back a tantrum.  The one who was happy to express himself over his discomfort was the guy in front of me, Eli.  Now Eli's been my friend since we were just kids and life wouldn't have been the same without him, but he has things going on in his own life that always seem to have him down in some sort.  When we weren't talking and his eyes locked up in some vague direction, he always had the bill of his cap cover his face and kept his mouth in an unamused grimace.  I've tried best I can to help him but he's stuck in his ways and I don't mean to push him too hard.  I know his daddy is pretty high in politics, but being in that position doesn't mean you're always popular.  One day his daddy's getting praised.  On the other he's the dadgum scum of the earth who ought to dig a hole and never pop his head up in the light of day again. Even on the best days there's still a lot of pressure on his whole family.  He's told me that he doesn't know which one of these days that sitting and smiling in front of a bunch of cameras is gonna set him on the path to psychosis. He said that he likes me because I'm the only tether to a reality where he ain't just some politician's son. 

"Hey Eli," I said, and he lifts his head just a bit like I'd just woke him up.

"Yeap?"

"Watcha reckon we're gonna catch today?"

Eli settled himself and hid his eyes again.

"Your Paw been putting bass in his pond ain't he?  Let's see if I can't get a good ten-pounder."

I pulled out my phone and after a quick second handed it to him.  A grin poked out from the shadow on his face.

"Where'd you catch that monster?!  Thing's about half my size."

"Last week right here," I said, "thing about pulled me right out the boat."

"That the day you didn't want to come over for football with my cousins because your arm was hurtin'?"

"Well now, you see I had good reason.  I was sore for about two days from the fight that thing gave me.  It was like trying to pull a truck outta a mudhole with my hands." 

He went on looking in disbelief when his face changed and he dug out his phone.  He looked all serious but not the kind that spelled trouble.  I saw him type something then it looked like he was deleting it all. He started over but he did it again.  It was the most focused I'd seen him in a long time.  After a while I carried on our talk.

"Is it who I think it is?"

I know he heard me but he kept tapping away. 

"What's she saying right now?"