Upriver
Disclaimer- The show The X-Files, and all its characters ain't mine. (This disclaimer's short- I'm feeling lazy). Oh, and this story is an homage. Also, there are some naughty words in here.
"And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." Genesis 7:12
Chapter 1:
Far From Eden
Ognoc, northern Minnesota. Tuesday, 12:11 p.m.
The sky wavered on the brink of Heaven or Hell. Would it explode in a fury of rain? Or would it keep its vale of gray? The ants far below prayed for the latter.
The ants scurried to and fro. Fro and to. They picked up objects here and there- crates, tables, chairs. Anything that wasn't nailed down. And some things that were. The ants were in a hurry. The waterfront was still cluttered with belongings. And the angry River was rising. Fast.
"So who the hell did you say you were lookin' for, Agent Molding?"
The gruff man was distracted. As he asked the question he hefted a box under his arm. He had more pressing business at hand. Saving his store. He didn't need some Fed bothering him.
Fox Mulder exhaled. He was getting tired of running around. Chasing his ass. Time was short. He needed to find his man quick.
"Conrad Butler. I'm looking for Conrad Butler. I believe he's with FEMA. If you-"
The gruff man started away. Pressing business. The River was rising.
"Oh? With FEMA? You oughta check the last dock. I think their boat's down there," he called over his shoulder.
"Thanks," Mulder muttered.
Mulder started down the waterfront. Under his arm he carried a blue duffel bag. The local owners bustled around him. They ran between their stores and cars. Back and forth. They never seemed to run out of belongings. The cars were lined up throughout the small street. Carpets, paintings, lamps, golf clubs, and a thousand chairs. They all stuck out from the running cars. In front of one store there was a line of people. They passed their belongings like an assembly line. They seemed detached from the bedlam. They were completely absorbed in their work. It was an odd display of order in the face of such chaos. After all, that's what it was: chaos.
"Hey! Watch it!"
A little girl pushed Mulder out of the way. She carried a small box. She clutched it close to her bosom. Mulder could only guess at its contents. Toys? Food? He'd never know. She shot an angry glance to Mulder. Her striking blue eyes rebuked him. He was taken aback. Then she ran on- red pigtails flapping. Mulder was speechless.
"Oh, that's not bad. An hour ago a 13-year old tried to jumpstart my car and drive it in front of his dad's store."
A tall, stout man smirked at Mulder. He had a weather-beaten face. He carried a crate.
"It sure is a tough world," the man said.
The man dodged around people. He carried the crate to a dock. The last one. The man jumped onto a white boat. The boat was bobbing furiously on the roaring River. He disappeared into the cabin. Mulder followed him. He stopped on the dock.
"Excuse me! Are you Conrad Butler?" Mulder called.
"Who wants to know?" an irritated voice called back.
Then Butler emerged. He smirked again when he saw who it was.
"Oh. It's you. What do you want?"
Mulder flashed his badge.
"A G-Man? Out here?"
"I think the Bureau already contacted you about my passage."
Butler snapped his fingers.
"Ohhhhhh. Shit. I remember you know. Agent Mulder. The crazy fella who wants to go upriver with us."
Butler shook his head slowly.
"Buddy, I had to give the guys on this crew an extra 1500 cash. Upfront. Each. Just to come along with me. You're insane to come along for free."
Mulder started to reply. But Butler went back into the cabin.
"Come onboard!" he called from inside.
Mulder leaped onto the swinging boat. He landed with a thud.
"Oh, and watch the jump!"
Butler peeked out. Mulder sat sheepishly on his ass. Butler chuckled and went back into the cabin. Mulder got up. He straitened his clothes. There was a lot of mud. Good thing he wasn't wearing a suit. Mulder steadied himself. Then he went into the cabin.
It was pretty well organized. And pretty cramped. But still better than the chaos outside. Butler stood at the far end. By the wheel. He stared out across the River. There were some bunks along one side. The sheets were neatly folded. Except the top bunk. A young guy lay sleeping there. He faced the wall. He snored loudly. Butler saw Mulder eye him.
"That's Reed. He had a rough night."
The young guy rolled over. His face was black and blue. He kept snoring.
"I see."
Butler smiled.
"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A Packers fan in Viking country. He was lucky he only lost a couple teeth."
Mulder smiled.
"Serves him right."
Mulder turned towards the voice. A man sat at a nailed-down table. He drank some beer from a bottle. He had timed it so that with each swing of the boat the beer would meet his mouth. It was an odd act. It reminded Mulder of the figures that pop out of cuckoo clocks.
"Oh, and you can talk now Alec? Remember last year when you woke up in a garbage dump with no pants?"
Alec kept up his morose repetition. But his other hand slowly rose. Finally it stopped. Only a middle finger remained standing.
"So is that how many times you've been laid?" Butler quipped.
He shook his head. He looked back to Mulder.
"Sorry. But these *gentlemen* aren't with the federal government. I just contract their work whenever I need them in this area."
Butler left the steering wheel. He motioned for Mulder to have a seat at the table. Mulder sat down across from Alec. Alec nodded to him. Then he kept on drinking. Butler came over.
"This is the River."
Butler laid out a map on the table. The blue River ran straight through it. Areas where the River had flooded valleys were shaded blue as well. The River sat there, like an uncoiled snake. The shaded areas looked like lumps of swallowed animals. It was powerful. Even by just looking at the dead map, Mulder felt its power. The rush of water against the hull echoed in his head. It whispered to him. The River was saying something to him. Wasn't it? Nah. He hadn't slept in a while. He was just going crazy. Hell, he was crazy just to be here.
"There's gonna be more snowmelt. If you think its rough now, you should see when it's another 15 feet higher. And if it rains on top of that- hoo boy! Then we're in for a real shitstorm! We're only going on this trip to see which areas need what supplies. We'd go by helicopter- except there'd be no place to land! You sure you still wanna come?"
Alec laughed. Now Mulder was resolute. He wasn't about to back down. Not for these idiots. Not even for the angry River.
"Yes. I understand what I'm doing."
"Just what kinda case you workin' on that's so damn important?" Alec asked.
Mulder shot him a cold look.
"Nothing you need to know."
Alec put his beer down. He looked bored.
"Fine. I'm goin' down to see Kent."
Butler leaned in to Mulder, "Kent's the engineer."
Alec walked to the corner across from the wheel. He lifted up a square of wood. He climbed into the black hole left behind. Then he was gone.
"See ya later Chief!" he sarcastically called from the darkness.
Butler got up. Mulder shakily followed him back outside. Butler turned back to Mulder.
"You'll get used to the rushing water. You'll get your balance."
He paused.
"You know, I still have to pick up some supplies."
He hopped back onto the dock.
"Its funny. Normally I can't feel the water under my feet when I step on a dock."
Butler looked down. Just underneath the wood brown water roiled. He shook his head.
"We're in for a real shitstorm," he muttered.
Butler disappeared into the frenzy of people. Mulder was left standing there. Staring at the raging brown water. It continued to echo inside him.
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Man, I'm one procrastinating (some might say 'incubating') bastard. I started this days ago. I didn't like how it was going. But rather than make some changes right away, I just let it sit around. Ah well, at least I've written this far. The story's probably confusing now. Don't worry, I'll explain a lot more as it goes on. And I think it'll be pretty angst filled.
- Your writer of fiction, who is also a fan (so maybe I write 'fanfiction'? Hmmmm.)
Disclaimer- The show The X-Files, and all its characters ain't mine. (This disclaimer's short- I'm feeling lazy). Oh, and this story is an homage. Also, there are some naughty words in here.
"And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." Genesis 7:12
Chapter 1:
Far From Eden
Ognoc, northern Minnesota. Tuesday, 12:11 p.m.
The sky wavered on the brink of Heaven or Hell. Would it explode in a fury of rain? Or would it keep its vale of gray? The ants far below prayed for the latter.
The ants scurried to and fro. Fro and to. They picked up objects here and there- crates, tables, chairs. Anything that wasn't nailed down. And some things that were. The ants were in a hurry. The waterfront was still cluttered with belongings. And the angry River was rising. Fast.
"So who the hell did you say you were lookin' for, Agent Molding?"
The gruff man was distracted. As he asked the question he hefted a box under his arm. He had more pressing business at hand. Saving his store. He didn't need some Fed bothering him.
Fox Mulder exhaled. He was getting tired of running around. Chasing his ass. Time was short. He needed to find his man quick.
"Conrad Butler. I'm looking for Conrad Butler. I believe he's with FEMA. If you-"
The gruff man started away. Pressing business. The River was rising.
"Oh? With FEMA? You oughta check the last dock. I think their boat's down there," he called over his shoulder.
"Thanks," Mulder muttered.
Mulder started down the waterfront. Under his arm he carried a blue duffel bag. The local owners bustled around him. They ran between their stores and cars. Back and forth. They never seemed to run out of belongings. The cars were lined up throughout the small street. Carpets, paintings, lamps, golf clubs, and a thousand chairs. They all stuck out from the running cars. In front of one store there was a line of people. They passed their belongings like an assembly line. They seemed detached from the bedlam. They were completely absorbed in their work. It was an odd display of order in the face of such chaos. After all, that's what it was: chaos.
"Hey! Watch it!"
A little girl pushed Mulder out of the way. She carried a small box. She clutched it close to her bosom. Mulder could only guess at its contents. Toys? Food? He'd never know. She shot an angry glance to Mulder. Her striking blue eyes rebuked him. He was taken aback. Then she ran on- red pigtails flapping. Mulder was speechless.
"Oh, that's not bad. An hour ago a 13-year old tried to jumpstart my car and drive it in front of his dad's store."
A tall, stout man smirked at Mulder. He had a weather-beaten face. He carried a crate.
"It sure is a tough world," the man said.
The man dodged around people. He carried the crate to a dock. The last one. The man jumped onto a white boat. The boat was bobbing furiously on the roaring River. He disappeared into the cabin. Mulder followed him. He stopped on the dock.
"Excuse me! Are you Conrad Butler?" Mulder called.
"Who wants to know?" an irritated voice called back.
Then Butler emerged. He smirked again when he saw who it was.
"Oh. It's you. What do you want?"
Mulder flashed his badge.
"A G-Man? Out here?"
"I think the Bureau already contacted you about my passage."
Butler snapped his fingers.
"Ohhhhhh. Shit. I remember you know. Agent Mulder. The crazy fella who wants to go upriver with us."
Butler shook his head slowly.
"Buddy, I had to give the guys on this crew an extra 1500 cash. Upfront. Each. Just to come along with me. You're insane to come along for free."
Mulder started to reply. But Butler went back into the cabin.
"Come onboard!" he called from inside.
Mulder leaped onto the swinging boat. He landed with a thud.
"Oh, and watch the jump!"
Butler peeked out. Mulder sat sheepishly on his ass. Butler chuckled and went back into the cabin. Mulder got up. He straitened his clothes. There was a lot of mud. Good thing he wasn't wearing a suit. Mulder steadied himself. Then he went into the cabin.
It was pretty well organized. And pretty cramped. But still better than the chaos outside. Butler stood at the far end. By the wheel. He stared out across the River. There were some bunks along one side. The sheets were neatly folded. Except the top bunk. A young guy lay sleeping there. He faced the wall. He snored loudly. Butler saw Mulder eye him.
"That's Reed. He had a rough night."
The young guy rolled over. His face was black and blue. He kept snoring.
"I see."
Butler smiled.
"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A Packers fan in Viking country. He was lucky he only lost a couple teeth."
Mulder smiled.
"Serves him right."
Mulder turned towards the voice. A man sat at a nailed-down table. He drank some beer from a bottle. He had timed it so that with each swing of the boat the beer would meet his mouth. It was an odd act. It reminded Mulder of the figures that pop out of cuckoo clocks.
"Oh, and you can talk now Alec? Remember last year when you woke up in a garbage dump with no pants?"
Alec kept up his morose repetition. But his other hand slowly rose. Finally it stopped. Only a middle finger remained standing.
"So is that how many times you've been laid?" Butler quipped.
He shook his head. He looked back to Mulder.
"Sorry. But these *gentlemen* aren't with the federal government. I just contract their work whenever I need them in this area."
Butler left the steering wheel. He motioned for Mulder to have a seat at the table. Mulder sat down across from Alec. Alec nodded to him. Then he kept on drinking. Butler came over.
"This is the River."
Butler laid out a map on the table. The blue River ran straight through it. Areas where the River had flooded valleys were shaded blue as well. The River sat there, like an uncoiled snake. The shaded areas looked like lumps of swallowed animals. It was powerful. Even by just looking at the dead map, Mulder felt its power. The rush of water against the hull echoed in his head. It whispered to him. The River was saying something to him. Wasn't it? Nah. He hadn't slept in a while. He was just going crazy. Hell, he was crazy just to be here.
"There's gonna be more snowmelt. If you think its rough now, you should see when it's another 15 feet higher. And if it rains on top of that- hoo boy! Then we're in for a real shitstorm! We're only going on this trip to see which areas need what supplies. We'd go by helicopter- except there'd be no place to land! You sure you still wanna come?"
Alec laughed. Now Mulder was resolute. He wasn't about to back down. Not for these idiots. Not even for the angry River.
"Yes. I understand what I'm doing."
"Just what kinda case you workin' on that's so damn important?" Alec asked.
Mulder shot him a cold look.
"Nothing you need to know."
Alec put his beer down. He looked bored.
"Fine. I'm goin' down to see Kent."
Butler leaned in to Mulder, "Kent's the engineer."
Alec walked to the corner across from the wheel. He lifted up a square of wood. He climbed into the black hole left behind. Then he was gone.
"See ya later Chief!" he sarcastically called from the darkness.
Butler got up. Mulder shakily followed him back outside. Butler turned back to Mulder.
"You'll get used to the rushing water. You'll get your balance."
He paused.
"You know, I still have to pick up some supplies."
He hopped back onto the dock.
"Its funny. Normally I can't feel the water under my feet when I step on a dock."
Butler looked down. Just underneath the wood brown water roiled. He shook his head.
"We're in for a real shitstorm," he muttered.
Butler disappeared into the frenzy of people. Mulder was left standing there. Staring at the raging brown water. It continued to echo inside him.
----------------------- -----------------------
Man, I'm one procrastinating (some might say 'incubating') bastard. I started this days ago. I didn't like how it was going. But rather than make some changes right away, I just let it sit around. Ah well, at least I've written this far. The story's probably confusing now. Don't worry, I'll explain a lot more as it goes on. And I think it'll be pretty angst filled.
- Your writer of fiction, who is also a fan (so maybe I write 'fanfiction'? Hmmmm.)