Catfish Lullaby by A C Wise

Author:A C Wise [Wise, A C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781940372297
Publisher: Broken Eye Books
Published: 2019-08-23T04:54:25+00:00

part three

chapter one

The stories about Catfish John range all over the place, just like the names for him. He’s a genetic experiment gone wrong, something cooked up by the government to fight the Ruskies. He’s an escaped circus freak. A patient from an insane asylum. He’s a man who just wants to be left alone. He’s a devil, cursed by God to wander the earth forever, looking for forgiveness. Some folks honestly believe a human woman and an alligator got together and birthed a creature in-between, a monster.

—Myths, History, and Legends from the Delta to the Bayou (Whippoorwill Press, 2016)

***

C

aleb followed the footprints sunk deep into the mud, just like he had when he was twelve years old. He passed the ruins of a house that no longer existed and went into the swamp as the sun was rising. Flat pools of water gathered around cypress knees caught the light, gleaming like liquid fire. A line of gold at the horizon spread, not the sun but a crack in the sky. A shadow emerged, and the mud around Caleb’s feet bubbled as something rose.

Gold eyes. Scales, rough as the bark of an ancient tree. A gator bigger than any he’d ever seen, standing on its hind legs like something human, cradling its heavy belly in clawed limbs.

“It’s time,” it said in Cere’s voice, mouth doubled and trebled, speaking as a child, a woman, a thing with too many teeth.

“It’s time.” Kyle nudged him.

The shrill of a strange swamp bird became the alarm on Caleb’s phone.

“I’m awake.” He fumbled to swipe the alarm off and let his arm fall across his eyes.

“You could call in sick.” Kyle poked him in the side; Caleb squirmed away.

“Can’t.” Caleb didn’t lift his arm. “Wouldn’t do for Lewis’s youngest-ever sheriff to start slacking off less than a year into the job.”

He forced himself to sit up, squinting.

“Not to mention its first queer sheriff.” Kyle poked him in the side again.

“Wait’ll they find out I’m black too.” He untangled his legs from the sheet and stood.

“I’ll never tell.” Kyle put both hands over his mouth and then lowered them with a grin.

“How did you get elected?” Kyle reached for the jeans crumpled on the floor.

“I told them I was a Republican.” Now it was Caleb’s turn to grin.

Kyle grabbed a towel slung over the end of the bed and tossed it at Caleb’s head.

“Blasphemy.”

Caleb caught the towel but felt his grin slip, a nerve struck.

“Honestly I’m afraid I’m just trading on my father’s reputation, and it’s only a matter of time before someone comes to tell me it was all a mistake and kicks me out of office.”

“Hey.” Kyle’s voice softened, and Caleb looked up. “You’re a good sheriff. You’ve done a lot for this town in just a few months.”

“I guess.” Caleb slung the towel over his shoulder, trying to put his smile back in place, even if he didn’t feel it. Kyle didn’t look convinced.

Caleb couldn’t help his doubts. Even if he single-handedly saved the whole town from burning down, he’d never live up to his father’s reputation.

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