Offshoots

Chapter IX - - - - -

          The son walked even faster than his father. On our way to the river we ended up forming a line with Harold in the forefront, Ahab and I in the middle, and Josh in the rearguard.         

          The crime scene was a peaceful, picturesque landscape. We walked by the river, downstream. Around us, the tall hills mirrored the soft light of the sunset, which made the trees look as though they were on fire.

          ‘Here it is,’ Harold said, pointing at the grass. Clotted blood.

          ‘Harold,’ I said, ‘this doesn’t really prove anything.’

          ‘This, alone, no. But I know where the body is. Come.’

          Harold wanted us to go deeper in the valley. He said the body that was dumped in the water was now floating on the pond formed by the river.

          ‘For how long have you known this?’ Josh asked him, outraged.

          ‘Two days, I guess.’

          ‘And you didn’t inform the authorities? You just let the body rot?’

          ‘What, was I supposed to drag it out of the water and bury it?’

          ‘No, you were supposed to call the police,’ I said.

          ‘I told you: I don’t want them to interfere.’

          I wondered if he was truly mad, or just eccentric. If he was mad, then we might have been in big trouble. If the latter was the case, he must have been one of the most original people around here.

          ‘Ha, there you go! Look!’

          There was, indeed, something floating on the surface of the water. A small, bloated body of a dog.

          ‘Hey, Holmes, that’s not a human,’ Josh said.

          ‘I never said it was. Why did you call me Holmes?’

          ‘Never mind that,’ I said, watching Ahab’s concerned expression. ‘What is it, Ahab?’

          ‘Well, I don’t know about your world, but here, killing an animal is as serious a crime as homicide. We live to create and give birth to new forms and ideas, and we’re not allowed to destroy anything. That’s against art. It’s the supreme law. I told you, we don’t even eat meat.’

          ‘Haha,’ Josh laughed, ‘here’s a law you’d most enjoy, cousin.’

          I shrugged. ‘Of course I would! It’s only fair.’  

          ‘What’s that?’

          Josh suddenly noticed something in the dark, very close to the water.

          ‘The killer!’ Harold shouted.

          In that very instant, the figure lurking in the shadows quickly turned around and started to run. Without warning, Harold grabbed my wrist and made me run with him after the supposed criminal.

          ‘Wait, no!’ I heard Josh behind us. Then he started to run too, but he couldn’t keep up, and we soon lost both him and Ahab.

           ‘Why did you – ah.’ I was panting. ‘Why did you – take me – instead of – your father? I can’t run as fast, and I’m – I’m not as strong. I can’t help you. You’re insane. Oh my God, I can’t breathe.’