The Skeleton Dance by Philip Quinn

Author:Philip Quinn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC19000, book
Publisher: Anvil Press
Published: 2010-09-06T16:00:00+00:00

The islands below like greenmoss on a blue rock face that wrinkles in the wind.

They landed in Kingston, Jamaica; rode a taxi downtown and parked their bags in a hotel room. After a stand-up meal of greasy fries and fish, they entered a massive nightclub where the band appeared half-asleep, kept jerking itself awake, the little outbursts of enthusiasm sending jolts of electricity into the dancing crowd.

Robert nursed his Corona while Klin guzzled down a quick succession of rum and cokes until he had a stretched-out parade of empty glasses that clinked together every time someone bumped their small wooden table.

Klin stood up, closed his eyes and tranced his way into the music, moved out onto the dance floor and really began to lift his feet matching time to the hip sway motion of this trashy blonde native woman who liked the attention.Her boyfriend pulled a knife but Robert rushed between them, grabbed Klin’s wallet out of his back pocket and handed the skinny black man some Abe Lincolns.While he was counting his loot they made their escape. They returned to their hotel, grabbed a few hours sleep before the desk clerk woke them up with a phone call just in time to catch the bus taking them to the docks where they boarded a double-decker island boat.

Robert started out on the top deck but felt like an ant under the magnifying glass of the sun. Down below, he got a nose full of diesel fumes and the constant knock of the boat’s engine.

Greasy warm shadows hung out in the corners. He passed the small pilothouse where an Asian man leaned on the wheel. He looked over at Robert, gave him this twisted smile, the right side of his face burned or blown away.

One more rictus grin to carry to his grave. The boat was a mini Noah’s ark: a volatile mix of whites and blacks, caged and uncaged animals and a pack of mongrel dogs. One of the passengers tried to kick at a rodent dog, but a black woman used her massive body to shield it. The dog lifted its leg and peed in thanks.

He found Klin using a rolled-up copy of Time magazine to swat at flies.

“It must be my aftershave or something.”

“Look.” Robert pointed to the puddle under the bench. “It’smore dog piss. Let’s move.”

“The entire boat stinks.”

“It’s better on top if you can stand the sun.”

“Have you any extra sun block?”

“Just the one bottle.”

“We should have brought more.”

“Can’t we buy any?”

“Nope. No stores.”

“Where is this place?”

“You’ll see soon enough.”

“Have you got any Gravol?”

“No. Are you going to be sick?”

“Just a bit of motion sickness. Inner ear stuff.”

“Is there a washroom or should I just piss over the side?”

“Other end of the boat but that will make you sick.”

“I’ll aim from a long way away.”

“Better change from your sandals to your shoes.”

Robert found a bottle of water in Klin’s knapsack, splashed his face. Klin returned with four slices of corn bread and two bananas. Robert watched him eat, sip on a can of diet cola.

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