Chapter 8
Edward sat on one of the rocks on the vantage point and looked out over the ocean that Monday morning. He had watched Ulick row his boat, taking Ethel to the others. Edward missed her already, she liked to touch people and he liked her to touch him. Maybe she was playing with Ulick right now. Edward cursed briefly.
A number of bright white clouds inhabited the sky, providing shelter from the relentless sun from time to time.
Edward took another pull from the bottle of rum next to him, emptying it. Swearing, he rose, with difficulty, and returned to the house.
Vera was sitting in a chair on the porch, reading a book.
She's as silly as Emily. What's the fucking use of reading?
He didn't even greet her as he passed her and entered the house. He found nobody inside. Edward wandered to the place where Ulick kept the alcohol, only to find it empty. Edward hit the kitchen counter with his fist. He didn't feel anything.
Absobloodily senfucksational. Just what we needed.
He looked around undecidedly, his eyes went over the place but nothing of interest roused him from his almost dreamlike state. He just wanted something to drink. After some time his feet started to walk and took him through the house. He knew and didn't know what he was looking for anymore.
He approached Ulick's quarters and the thought he might not be welcome there didn't enter his mind. His slightly shaking hand took hold of the door knob and he entered the room of his host.
He felt the difference in carpet immediately; here it was thick, velvety and of a deep brown hue. And he saw his host had a king sized bed. Edward thought he'd love to sleep on such a bed. Maybe later - he needed a drink first.
Going through the room, he found a walk-in closet. As he looked inside, he could see Ulick's wardrobe. He saw soon enough the man wouldn't be keeping anything Edward would like in there, unfortunately. He walked on and found another walk-in closet. Edward peered inside and had some trouble focusing at first, but he then realized this was a woman's closet. Everything was spick-and-span, not one thing lying about. As if it wasn't in use.
It isn't in use, you dumb shit. He said he didn't always live here alone. Must be his wife's clothes. Wonder what happened.
Edward belched.
The third door was the door to the bathroom. Edward stepped inside and had a good look around. Large white tiles on the walls, deep brown tiles on the floor. And it housed an enormous bath.
Impressive. I'd like to take a bath here!
Edward normally wasn't really troubled by what others thought, but after a moment or two he decided against the idea.
Having found nothing again, he went out of Ulick's room to search elsewhere.
.
"Move over, Eddie," Philip called with a grinning face as he approached Edward, who was fishing from the small wooden pier.
"Shut up and sit down," Edward retorted.
Philip sat down next to Edward and looked at the cork. It was bobbing up and down with the flow of the waves. He then looked up at the sky.
"The clouds haven't cleared," he said.
"No."
"Seems like there's even more clouds now."
"Could be."
Philip watched the cork again. They sat in silence for a minute or two, waiting for a fish to take the bait.
"No luck yet?"
"No."
Edward reeled in his fishing line, only to reveal an empty hook.
"Fuck."
Edward took another piece from a sandwich and rolled it into a ball before fixing it to the hook. He cast his line out again after that.
"Who'll be next to go?" Philip asked after a while.
"Dunno."
"Would you like to go?"
"I'd like you to go."
"Yeah? I thought maybe you'd like Emily to go, she's no fun. Yeah, maybe I will go."
Edward looked at the simpleton next to him. Then he checked his cork, only to see it was as immobile as before. Not a damned fish was willing to take his bait. He took in his line and put the rod down on the pier next to him.
"I like Emily," Edward said.
"Why?" Philip asked.
"Why not? Maybe a bitch, but a good looking one."
"Yeah, that's true. Too bad Ethel doesn't have her looks, she's willing."
Edward nodded.
"Ethel's a bit of a baboon," Philip said. "A horny, ugly baboon."
"And Tony's a sleazy weasel," Edward replied and laughed. Philip joined him, which fed their shared jocundity, leading to an even louder laughter.
"And Thomas is a big brown bear!" Philip added between two bouts of merriment.
Edward hadn't laughed like this in ages. He was oddly giddy and mirthful.
"Holy fuck!" he said between gasps for air, "I think… we've got a… a… whole fucking zoo!"
This renewed Philip's laughter to unprecedented heights, which caused Edward to laugh out like crazy as well.
"Man… stop! I… I need to pee!" said Edward.
"P what?" Philip asked with trouble, still doubling with guffaws.
"Pee! Piss, take a leak, give Willy a hand, water the flowers, …"
"I get it!" Philip exclaimed, roaring again and again.
Edward rose, swaggering from the bellows of laughter, and opened his fly. He peed into the ocean, while Philip still couldn't get himself under control.
.
As they neared the bay, Hannibal focused on the task ahead and became Predator. He estimated Philip wouldn't be as interesting as Fred or John to hunt - the guy wasn't a leader but a follower. Such people were only imaginative when with a leader and even then it was merely an enlarged copy of the leader's deeds.
He'd opted for his Harpy this time. It held a shorter blade than the Buck, but it effectiveness matched his style better. The Buck had proven a worthy alternative when dealing with fat people like Thomas. Hannibal would have loved to use his Harpy on William, but there had been no opportunity to change knives yesterday after returning from taking care of Thomas.
William had been a lazy person. His meat had reminded Hannibal of veal, his picky guests hadn't complained.
What would Philip taste like?
"Hey, we're almost there!" Philip called out as he opened his eyes and saw they'd nearly landed.
"Yes, we're almost done," said Hannibal. "Sit still, please. You're rocking the boat."
He could sense Philip didn't like the rebuff.
Excellent. Feel the vexation of unpleasant company for yourself.
They neared the pier and Hannibal maneuvered the vessel to it with ease.
"Take that line and tie the boat."
Again, he could sense his words provoked Philip.
Ah - clearly a problem with authority.
"It's easier if you tie it. I need my hands in the boat."
Philip looked at him and nodded. He took the end of the line, turned around and started to tie a knot. Behind his back, Hannibal rose and got out. He waited for Philip to tie the line and get on the pier.
"And… done!" Philip said as he made a last knot and worked his way onto the pier.
"Philip," Hannibal started to say, "what you're about to hear will surely be a surprise, something you hadn't expected to hear. But believe me when I say every word will be true."
"Eh?"
"Just try and listen," Hannibal said. "This island is uninhabited."
Hannibal waited a moment before he continued. He could see Philip's mind process his words from the surprise on his face.
"Yes, we're on an uninhabited island. You're not near a village, we won't be looking for the others either."
Hannibal could see a slight trembling in Philip's left leg.
Good - you're listening. Yes, something's wrong indeed.
"I did take the others before you here as well. Only, I didn't take them here to rescue them. I took them here to hunt them."
.
Cutting away some excellent tenderloin, Hannibal whistled the adagio of Beethoven's 26th piano sonata in a lightsome way. He placed the excellent bit of meat neatly in a container, and returned to the carcass of Philip, who'd been stripped of several parts of meat already. The liver had been one of the first things to preserve, Hannibal had been pleased to find it in excellent order.
I think we'll have a true festive dinner this evening.
Hunting Philip hadn't been too much of a challenge, which was as he'd expected. Despite its fast ending, it had been an enjoyable pastime nevertheless.
