Man-In-Sea

Epilogue

LINK

I built the first sub, Deep Diver, down in the cargo hold of my ship. It took some time before I found my sea-legs, and some days I was so violently sick, just sitting in dock, that I’d have to keep a coffee can on a string around my neck to vomit in while I worked. That’s how I was the day Clayton came into the bay covering his eye.

CLAY

Dad!

ED

What’s the matter?

CLAY

A bug or something flew in my eye. I think it’s still there.

ED

Did you tell your mother?

CLAY

She went into town to find a doctor.

ED

Come on, let me see it.

CLAY

No, Dad, leave it alone.

ED

You want to wait all day for a doctor? Come on, I can get this... He’s a big sucker, isn’t he?

CLAY

Can you get it out?

ED

Let me find a pair of tweezers. My God, does everything in this place have grease on it? All right, open up. Stop struggling. If you don’t sit still, I’ll poke your eye out. There!

CLAY

That hurt!

ED

Let me look with the magnifying glass to make sure I got it all.

CLAY

I’m fine, Dad.

ED

Damn it.

CLAY

What are you laughing at?

ED

You and your bum luck.

CLAY

What’s wrong?

ED

I think it laid eggs.

CLAY

What?

ED

The damn thing laid eggs before it died!

CLAY

Oh, Jeez! Get me to the doctor!

ED

Come on. I can get them. Let’s go to your bunk. I can get them.

CLAY

Dad, please, leave it for the doctor.

LINK

I’m not letting one of these quacks touch you. I can take care of my own family, now come with me.

END

MAN-IN-SEA

by Paul Juser

Available in print:

Cast of Characters:

LINK

An inventor. Also, Ed’s father.

ED

As Link remembers himself.

MARION

Ed’s wife.

CLAY

Ed and Marion’s second son.