Gregor
Flash Fiction Story
By Jim Meirose
Gregor started out as a printer, but indoor work was not for him.
When sinking, the first step is to start the pumps. Gardner yelled to Eva.
Start the pumps, Eva!
Start the pumps!
Eva went below and threw the switch to start the pumps, but nothing happened.
Gardner! We’ve no pumps!
What?
Gregor’s motorcycles roared. BSA. Harley Davidson
We’ve no pumps!
Gregor’s number 47 roared into the first turn—a crash!
Gardner ran below and also threw the switch, and nothing happened.
Gregor joined Public Service and spent some years there.
“We’ve got to do something," shouted Gardner. Eva—what are you doing?
The asbestos—the tug of death—Gregor joined the Navy.
Eva kicked off her shoes and swirled a bare foot in the rising water.
The asbestos—the tug of death.
No, said Eva—the water is nice—there’s nothing to be done. Water is nice—
But the boat will sink!
Gregor worked as a garbage man down the shore.
—put your bare foot into the water, Gardner—you’ll see that it’s nice.
It’s so nice — it would never dream of harming you or me. Look at it.
Her foot swirled and splashed in the calf-deep water.
Gregor captained a charter fishing boat.
The water is rising, Eva—God damn it!
Oh—it’s deep enough now—let me swim in it—
She threw herself into the now waist-deep water and swam to the other end of the room.
Gregor contracted mesothelioma.
God Eva—let’s go to the lifeboats—you’ll go down with the boat. Come on, let’s go—
Gregor went to the hospital.
She stood up in the chest-deep water, smiling.
But, she said—the water is beautiful—it feels good all around me
You’ll sink, Eva—imagine being sunk—
Gregor’s in the deathbed.
She waved a hand above the chin-deep water.
This is it, he said on his deathbed.
Yes! And imagine breathing the water—the freedom of knowing you can breathe the water, and live.
But you can’t live! Let’s get off this boat!
No. The water is nice—so cool—so calm—here wash your face with the water Gardner—wash your face with the water get down off that ladder what’re you afraid to get a little wet—
I’m going topside. You’re nuts.
The morphine took him away.
He climbed the ladder leaving Eva in the water and went out of the compartment and disappeared above.
Eva climbed the ladder as if to follow, but halfway up turned and dove back down into the water. She touched bottom. The bottom had been the floor but now was the bottom.
She stayed on the bottom holding her breath; and when she could hold her breath no more, she breathed water. She filled with the feeling of the water sluicing into her.
Death came for him.
She stayed on the bottom. Ultimately, the boat went down—and she with it. Surprised at not being dead, she swam out of the boat and looked over the beautiful bottom of the sea. It was all worth it.
The multicolored sea grasses waved, and the corals shone like jewels. Swarms of bright fishes swooped about her.
Cremation.
All the icons of the sea welcomed her. She walks the sea forever.
Afterlife.
God and Gregor live in the sea.
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