Beast by Watt Key

Author:Watt Key
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

20

The next morning I ate the last of the Vienna sausages for breakfast. Then I walked to the spring and studied the gar. I tried to count them and got to thirty-three before their movement caused me to lose track.

At least thirty-three. A fish per day gets me at least thirty-three days.

After a little searching I found a cypress limb that was long and straight and about the thickness of a broomstick. My Swiss Army knife had a short saw blade that I used to cut the limb. Then I whittled one end to a point and waded into the spring. The fish were quicker than I expected and easily dodged my jabs. It took me nearly an hour to finally stab one. I felt it jiggling at the end of the spear for a second before it slipped off again.

I need a barb.

Fortunately the fish was mortally wounded. As it grew weaker the spring boil drove it toward the surface until I was able to grab it and pull it out. I flipped it onto the ground behind me, careful to avoid its dangerous-looking teeth. Then I turned and sat there staring at it, swelling with confidence. I guessed it weighed close to five pounds. That was plenty of food for a day or more.

I didn’t need the fish right away, so I got a thin stick, sharpened one end of it, and punched it through the gills. Then I submerged the gar in the creek and stabbed it to the mud. I reasoned the other gars couldn’t get to it, and the spring water would keep it cooler than a refrigerator. The only thing I worried about was a raccoon or some other scavenger finding it, but I hoped the fact it was underwater would keep it hidden.

Clean water and fish. Thirty-three days.

Now I had food and didn’t have to worry about digging and eating worms. I set out to do my research that day with new optimism.

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