The Fisher Man

By

Florida Man

“Well, he had a good run.  84 years is more than most of us will get.” Said Cory. “He may still recover,” suggests Claudia.

Cory looks at the slowly beeping EKG, placed on the medical grade plastic shelf.  A cluster of bags hang, slowly dripping medicine into his dry veins, helping the old man cling to life.

“Not with his complexes widening like that.  His heart is giving out.”  “It is still sad to see him go, even at his age” says Claudia. “Sure, but there are worse things than death.  Seneca says, “you weren’t unhappy before you were born, so why be sad after you’re gone?” or something like that.  “You know the most random things” says Claudia.  “Speaking of random, have you ever heard of the Fisher Man?” asks Cory.  “Who or what is the Fisher Man?”asked Ady.  “You know, the light people claim to have seen with near death experiences?”  “Thats bullshit.” Said Sam “It is just random electrical signals the brain fires off during lack of oxygen to the brain.”  “I know that, but the legend of the Fisher Man has a different explanation” claimed Cory.

The obsolete ventilator alarms in the indigent care hospital, and the four turn to see the old man cough against the machine, then settle back into eery stillness.  The years of hard work had calloused his hands and his hair was so thin it was like someone had tried to use a single cotton ball to create a wig.  The wrinkles in his face show a man that was constantly smiling though now his lips were wrapped around a breathing tube.

“I hate to see old man John suffer like that.  I hope he goes quickly.  You know, he gave me my first sip of moonshine when I was 8 years old” said Cory.  “Anyway, most people, most Christians anyways, think the light at the end of the tunnel is heaven”explains Cory.  If you go towards the light you are greeted by God.”  “Saint Peter” corrects Claudia. “That or your deceased pets guide you to your family waiting for you in Heaven.”  “Yes, it’s God or Dog that greets the newly departed.  Anyways,  if you’re done with living, you go towards the light and if you have unfinished business, you move away from the light, back towards your body.”

“What does that have to do with fishing.” ask Sam.

Another coughing fit wracks the old man lit by flickering florescent lights with a too heavy layer of dust. The old man begins to breath again and they along with him.

“So sad he doesn’t have any family left.  You know old man John tried to teach me the guitar a few times? Sam softly chuckled.  It just never took, but man could that dude play the blues.  John liked to tell a story with his music.  The blues are supposed to be sad, but his songs were always uplifting at the same time.  Sorry, you were telling a story yourself.”

“Well if I can tell the story without interruptions, I’ll tell you.”

“Who is interrupting? Asks Ady. We are just asking questions about the story?”

“Yeah, nobody is stopping you from telling the story” adds Claudia

“Go on and tell the story, about fish, nobody is stopping you.”

Cory pouts.  The other three chuckle.

“Fuck, you guys, you don’t get to know now.”  “Don’t sulk, we are sorry” says Claudia  “Yeah, go on buddy.  We will be good.”  Adds Sam  “I was really just curious” snickers Ady

“Fine, but you guys are on thin ice.”

The three exchange naughty glances, waiting for the next chance to annoy Cory.

“Obviously, death is as old as life and life is far more ancient than humans” explains Cory. “The universe, or more accurately the observable universe, is 13 billion years old.  The earth, about 5 billions years old.  Humans have been around a scant few million years, so our religious explanations for the after life are a blink of the eye in comparison. It makes sense that something far older than our gods exists somewhere in the universe and it would develop a life cycle far different from anything we can explain.”

“This story is so boring.  I didn’t want a history lesson, I wanted to hear a story about the afterlife” whines Claudia.  “Yeah, we know the universe is old buddy, what does that have to do with cat-fishing?” Chimes Sam.  “That is a fun show.  I heard that host guy got #metoo’d” says Ady

“I’m going to get coffee.” Cory says coldly

“Oh come back and finish the story.  Yeah ,don’t leave us here.  Hospitals are creepy, especially this dump.  We will stop.  Promise.” The three chorus

“No I need my coffee, I’m getting the grumps.  I’ll finish when I come back.”

The three were left alone to look at the alien equipment, yellowed with age.

“What do you think this button does?” Ask Claudia. “Push it and fine out.” Says Sam.  “Guys please, don’t.  I can’t handle anymore drama right now.” Begs Ady. 

A long flat line appears on the heart monitor and the three hold their breath, until a few feeble blips return.  They sigh a collective breath and then start as Cory crashes through the door, coffee in hand.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Ask Sam. “What? The latch is a little sticky.  I don’t think the routine maintenance is up to snuff.  How is the old guy doing?”  “His heart stopped for a little while.  I’m glad you’re back, since you know about this stuff.” Said Claudia  “It doesn’t matter who is here, there are some things you can’t fix.” Says Cory grimly. “Have a little compassion Cory.  You know when I couldn’t pay my water bill, Mr. John paid the 6 months back pay for me.  Really saved my ass.” Said Ady. “Geez, I’m sorry Ady.  I never knew he did that for you.”  “He is not the kind of person to mention it.  Let’s change the subject, I’m getting a little emotional.  Can we hear more about the Fish-Man?” Pleads Ady 

“Fisher Man. Well as I was saying about the universe, it is much more vast and old than we can possible imagine.  What we do know, is the whole thing runs on entropy.  Eventually all energy will be spread out evenly through the constantly expanding cosmos until nothing can exist.  Life needs a gradient to exist or more accurately to perform work.  Shit rolls down hill, in the vernacular.”

“Do we get calculators with the story?” Ask Sam.  “Yeah, only you could turn a ghost story into a science lecture, Cory.” Mocks Ady.

“It’s not a fucking ghost story! Anyways…when we die, when anything dies, it release electrical energy from the nervous system.  Some scientist think it is our consciousness or even our soul leaving our body. The thing that makes us alive and different from rocks.”

“Well, some people aren’t much smarter than rocks.” Says Claudia

Cory sighs bigly and sips his black coffee.

“So the theory or story goes, the universe wouldn’t let this energy go to waste.  Someone or some-THING, would want to harvest this highly organized and rare energy.  That entity is the Fisher Man.”

“Finally he shows up.” Says Sam. “Yeah, I thought we were getting Catfished with this story.” Says Ady. “Its a gay man!” Exclaims Claudia

As they laugh at their new taunts, an electric crackle ripples through the myriad of medical equipment and they fall silent.

“Jesus, this stuff is old.  I’m surprised one of this things hasn’t caught fire yet.” Fumes Cory “Watch your temper, you’ll get an ulcer.  Old man John was always so gentle and kind”  warns Claudia. He use to go with me to the Catholic orphanage on Christmas Eve and pass out gifts as Santa.”  “He was always a soft touch.” Adds Sam. 

The four sit quietly reminiscing about the many kindnesses of Old Man John.

Cory coughs nervously. “Back to the story.  Have you ever watched one of those deep sea documentaries?  They have a species of fish, called an angler fish, because they fish for fish. One of the ones down in the deep dark ocean uses a light on a protuberance to lure little fish to him and then gobbles them up.”

“They have one of those fish in ‘Finding Nemo’!” adds Claudia.  “Thats a great movie.  Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” Sings Ady.

“The Fisher Man, uses the same principle, except he doesn’t look like an angler fish.  He has long sinewy arms and legs.  Like a man, but much much taller, so that his limbs can reach far from his thin body.  It is hard to put on weight when you exist off something as ephemeral as souls.  He has massive eyes, much like those deep sea fish so he can see in the dark, set deep in a bird like skull.  He has three sharp digits for fingers and toes and in his left hand he holds a sphere of pure light.  He uses his right hand sweep helpless souls into his beak.”

“Jesus, should you be telling this story right now?” Claudia whispers as she looks at the old man

“Well it is just a story.  If it is too much I’ll stop.”

“No, I want to hear more.” Pleads Ady.  “Yeah we’ve come this far.” adds Sam

“Alright.  Well I’m sure you all are familiar with quantum mechanics…”

The three groan in unison.

“Groan all you want, clowns.  We know three dimensions plus time, that is all we can perceive, but according to quantum mechanics there may be as many as 20 dimensions.  That is where the Fisher Man dwells, in one of those un-perceived dimensions.  He waits for passing souls and in the darkness of the void, his light sphere is the only guide point.  Though the meals are meager, something or someone is always dying.  It is a constant, like taxes.”

“How could anybody know that?  Any of that?” Asks Sam

“QM has be rigorously tested and has make some predictions with astonishing accuracy.  It would be astronomically lucky to have made those predictions and it all been random.  So, the dimensions are most likely real.  The neuro-energy is real, just look at EEGs. We know time and space are vast, which means it is possible for just about anything to be lurking out there.”

“Possible for some boogie-man hiding out there waiting to eat your immortal soul? Come the fuck on.” Says Ady

“I never said you have an immortal soul or that the Fisher Man is real, just that it is possible.”

“Yeah but you don’t believe in anything. I doubt you believe in this.” Accuses Claudia

“That is true.  My bet is you just rot in the ground, I’m just saying you never know. Wooo!” Says Cory as he wiggles his fingers at the trio

“That may be the dumbest ghost story ever told.” States Sam

Just then the heart monitor alarms and red lights begin to blink on and off.

“I think you guys should get your goodbyes in now.  He doesn’t have much time left.”

“Are you sure?”  Ask Claudia  “Yup, I use to see this a lot in my old ICU days.  He is going now and the DNR order is in effect, so at least his will be spared the indignity of people swarming over him.”

They each give John a kiss and a hug, grateful for knowing such a gentle man.  The EKG goes flat and the old man is gone.  Gone from this world.

“Who would have thought four kids from the street would be brought together by an old guitar player.” Said Cory. “You’re getting soft as you get older” kids Sam.  It’s that low T.” “Don’t act so tough, I saw your eyes get misty.”  “It’s dusty in hospitals.  Everybody knows that.” Defends Sam

“I’m going to miss him and his old man humor” laments Ady. “He had the worst dad jokes, but always laughed.”

“We should all promise to stay friends forever, in honor of Old Man John” suggests Claudia.

The four agree to keep the memory of John and meet once a year on his birthday to celebrate his long kind life.

“You guys up for some dinner together?” Ask Cory “I’m buying.”

“Anything but fish.” Answers Sam

“Show some respect, a sweet friend of ours just died” says Claudia as she does the sign of the cross. He just passed give it some time.”

“Sorry guys.  You know I don’t deal well with all this touchy feely stuff.” Replies Sam

“It’s okay buddy, we know you don’t mean any harm.” Adds Cory

They all take one final looks at their dear friend and slowly file out the room.  Claudia lingers til last and blows a final kiss.

John no longer has difficulty breathing, in fact he is not breathing at all, but it doesn’t distress him.  He isn’t cold anymore; doesn’t hurt.  He only feels a sense of weightlessness.  He finds that he can propel himself through space with nothing more than his will.  In the vast darkness he can only see a small point of light, so he wills himself towards it, anxious to be reunited with his wife after so many years.  He wonders if all of life’s mysteries will be revealed or if he will be reincarnated.  So many questions he hopes to find the answers for.

As the old man nears the light a sense of dread creeps into him.  The light seems false; too perfect, like Disney’s main-street.  Still, he can see no other destination in the murk other than the uncanny light, so ignores his anxiety and still approaches.  He senses a heavy darkness, darker than the void, sweeping in behind him, something unseen, yet irresistible.  He struggles against the pressure, yet finds he still moves towards the light, his will failing him. Closer and closer towards the light, he fears he will be burned in this miniature sun, though he has no body to burn.  He summons all his will to push back, flee into the night.  Anywhere, anywhere in the entire universe but here.

Just as John is about to touch the light, he is swept past the orb, by a massive hand, and finds two large black eyes boring into him.  Horrifyingly large and unblinking, lidless, they set atop a small round mouth.  The neck holding the large skull looks far too frail to support the weight and the body wane and frail; like a marionette with the strings ripped away.  John makes one last attempt to flee, desperation drives him back towards the terrible void, away from the grotesque figure.  Just as John begins to believes his freedom is at hand, the mouth opens and a vacuum as great as a black hole draws him back.  Back into the Fisher Man.

THE END.