"Is there something you aren't telling me? I really need to know, Moses."
"You can't fight everything with swords,"Moses replied, tired, and leaned against the wall with his shoulders dropped, and knees propped.
"Maybe not with swords, but there's nothing a man can not fight if he wills, so tell me, what do you know about this ship?"
"I already told you. You and the others don't just want to listen."
"You seriously expect me to believe that a ship as big as half my mansion, disappeared 70 years ago, only to appear now... come on buddy, let's get serious here."
Drawing the only stool in the small room which had gotten filled up with the old man's peculiar smell in just one week, Clifford drew closer to him, with just a little child's feet between them.
It room was dilapidated, with one side of the roof caving in, and were it in the rainy seasons, that very part would form a nice water collector that could fill the room in minutes.
Lost in his thoughts,he would often shake uncontrollably, quivering like a child that had been exposed to the harsh harmattan, snuffing life slowly out of his limbs and tearing through the flesh, leaving cracks and crazy pneumonia.
"You can help us all by telling me what you know."
"I shouted it out there... before the mayor, Clifford, but what did that yield now? I'm locked up in this smelly shit hole for a week now that I fear I will lose my firm grasp on reality soon. So, what can a single man achieve...no one believes me.
"And we may all pay for that,"he added, biting his nails.
"Then convince me, Moses. Isn't one believing man enough to make a difference no matter how little? So, convince me. What makes you so sure about this ship..."
"I was there the night it sunk."
"Okay... interesting...so?"
"It's hard to believe, and I understand, but I was one of the two that survived the sinking of Medusa... it's been so long already but because I waited long for mama to come as promised, the memory had stayed vivid and I have carried it with me all this years.
The only problem is, it wasn't Medusa that should have returned... I know what you want to say,"he said cutting off Clifford for what he imagined he would want to say where as stillness had descended into his heart as imaginations rowed onwards.
"Me expecting Mama's return was the desire of the child in me, his fantasy which I have not given up on... understandably, it is daydreaming, but how then would the vessel that she alongside hundreds drowned in show up on our doorstep, clean like a year old boat? It doesn't make sense to me either but I fear what omen this is."
"Okay Moses, let's say I believe you, what do we say about the spirits attached to it..."
"What?
Spirits?
How would you know of such thing?"
"I didn't before but a lot has happened which you do not know and it began on that night."
"You can't be certain... there may be more to it if there's such and it could answer the question "how".
"Clearer, please."
"I can't say with certainty but you will do well to confirm...use the names, Rahee and Katharina..."
"Any specific reason why?"
"Find out and I will let you know,"he replied and laid down on the bare ground, ignoring the little bed beside him with new sheets, humming on a low tone, a strange dirge.
He kept jibbering, and taking one long look at him, from the door, Clifford exited the room, after promising the inattentive man that he would strive for his release.
"They will not speak to you. Stop wasting your time."
"Oliver...can they speak to you instead?"
"I won't have them anyway near me like Ben."
Before the young boy finished, his father was long gone, and so, Clifford had no idea that the plague he struggled to end before it even started had infected his very own.
"There's always a way," he reminded himself as he walked on all his assets and the papers of every wealth, in gold or silver, even coins, that he had amassed in the past years, with the words of young Billy echoing in his mind.
" Clif,"Rosie called gently, unlike her usual self.
Casting a suspicious look at her, and trying to get a peek behind her, he settled back on a rocking chair, and clasped his hands, leisurely pulling his black gloves," what do you want now?"
"Nice,"she scoffed and taking a deep breath, she replied," Natasha and Peter are here to see you... hurry now."
"Now, I'm really worried," he muttered under his breath and followed suit.
******
"Before she says anything,"Peter chipped in,"she's the one who thinks something is wrong with our son, and not me."
"You know what Pet,"Clifford cut in, annoyed," I'm starting to think you're just what your wife says you are..."
"And what's that?"the couple asked, curious and suspicious of each other.
"A dic*heard!"
"Dic*heard? I never said that," Natasha said in her defense.
"Haven't you now?... well, would you both care to tell me your mission here?"
The room went dead for awhile. Speaking with eyes only, the couples stared at one another until the room felt stuffy.
"I'm sorry about the last time, Clifford."
"If anyone owes me an apology, it's him and not you."
"I mean no disrespect but I owe you nothing."
"Dic*heard!"
"It would suffice if you made it your own opinion of me. Don't get my wife involved."
"And here I thought you were fine with people alleging what the accused never said... what's the matter? Is it only fine when it's coming from the apple of your blind balls...."
"Clif... that's enough!"Rosie rebuked.
"Dad,"Oliver suddenly interrupted, standing by the stairs, overlooking the sitting room with his back to the kitchen.
"Rahee said I should tell you that they have killed her baby."