Seymour

Jesus can Marley dig. I mean, I know that dogs can dig but Marley can really dig. Nothing half hearted with her, she’s a regular two pawed-

“Hey Seymour, stop leering at that dog.”

“Hey shut it Jim, why don’t you. I’m not leering, I’m just watching the damn thing is all. I mean, look at her go. She’s a regular two pawed-”

“Well stop watching her and get back to the campsite.” Jim is stuffing his lip with a plug of Kodiak. I tried that once or twice but it just made my lip hurt. I don’t know why he likes it. Can’t be good for you, something that hurts like that. Marley is still digging. Probably almost half a foot down. She’s a regular two pawed-

“Seymour, the burgers are almost done and (spit) Collette was looking for you. You know,” his face scrunches up and his voice gets all squeaky and Collettey. “Where’s Seymour, where’s my boy, Jim have you seen my boy I miss my boy, where’s my Seymour?” He grins. Some of the Kodiak is stuck between his teeth.

“Say Jim, how is it you like that stuff?

Spit. “What?”

“The Kodiak. I tried it once or twice and it just hurt, so how is it you like that stuff?” Jim’s got big stupid eyes and his mouth is hanging open like some kind of panting dog. He’s just staring at me with those big stupid eyes and panting.

“Didn’t you hear what I said, Seymour? Burgers. Collette’s looking for you. There’s beer. It’s a great day. You’re missing the party. What the hell are you doing out here anyway?”

“I told you, I’m just watching the dog.”

“What are you talking about?” Jim’s looking kind of sweaty. Maybe the heats getting to him. He isn’t in great shape. Almost two bills I think. Jim weighed one sixty two years ago. Marley’s stopped digging and is shoving her snout down into her little foxhole.

Spit. That came close to my foot. Nasty glob of brown. I move my foot away.

“Listen Jim, why don’t you head on back to the party and I’ll catch up with you, all right? I just wanted a moment away was all.”

Spit. “Sure thing, Seymour, sure thing. I’ll just tell Collette to keep her panties on. I’ll tell her that you’re pondering the universe or something, all right?”

“Just tell her I’m watching Marley dig around.”

Jim scratches his stomach. “Sure thing, Seymour. Whatever you want. Oh, I forgot to offer you some dip. Want some dip?” He reaches into his back pocket and drags out his tin. He’s smiling. His teeth are yellow and I think his breath probably smells terrible but I can’t smell it from here. I just think that it must.

“Sure, Jim. Thanks.”

I pack a plug into my lip and hand the tin back to Jim. He wanders off back towards the campsite. My lip starts to hurt. Marley pokes her head out of the hole and looks towards me with her tail wagging. I call her over and she kind of bounces up and licks my face.

“Good girl,” I say. “Good girl, Marley. You’re a regular two pawed steam shovel, you know that?”

[DATA CORRUPT]

Hey Tom,

Here’s the data we were able to rip from that Portable Life! Electronic Diary you found at the scene. It was in pretty bad shape, so we were only able to get the last couple entries and even those were a bit damaged in places. I hope this helps figure out what the hell happened down there. I saw some of the pictures. If you need to talk, give me a call.

Karen

ENTRY 313

I visited my mother today. She lives way out in [DATA CORRUPT]. It took me three hours to get there and I blew a tire along the way. Rotten luck. Fixed it easily. Seems Dad did teach me something. Mom was happy to see me. I think her mind is going. Kept calling me my father’s name. I didn’t mind too much. We ate lunch. I had a roast beef sandwich. Mom went for a walk. I played with the cat. I must be allergic to cats because my eyes began to itch. I put it outside. I left around five. Mom cried.

ENTRY 314

Monday. Worked. Asked Sarah out to dinner. She said no. She has a boyfriend. Chuck something. I can’t help but think she’s lying. Had salmon and asparagus for dinner. Watched the news. Six dead in [DATA CORRUPT]. Went to bed around three.

ENTRY 315

Mom called me at work today. She didn’t sound good. Said she wasn’t feeling well. Like her stomach was hurting. I told her that it was probably nothing. She called me by my father’s name again. Sarah avoided eye contact with me all day.

ENTRY 316

Boring day. Stubbed toe on bed post. I think I’m coming down with a cold.

ENTRY 317

[DATA CORRUPT]

ENTRY 318

Mom called again. She sounded strange. I’m visiting her again tomorrow to make sure everything is all right.

ENTRY 319

It’s two in the morning. I’m still at Mom’s. What a day. I got up early and drove for three hours. It was uneventful. I had called ahead but when I got there she seemed surprised to see me. Happy, but surprised. We ate lunch and I helped her fix some things around the house. Around four she started doing this thing with her throat. Like a nervous thing. She’d cough and look at her feet and mumble something. We can’t find her cat. I think it ran off. It’s fine if it did. My eyes don’t itch anymore. Hopefully it turns up. She loves that thing. I decided to spend the night. Something isn’t right.

ENTRY 320

Slow day. Still no sign of the cat. Mom seemed all right for most of the day. She tried making dinner but she burned it. I drove into town to pick up some sandwiches from [DATA CORRUPT]. I’m waiting for them to finish making them. This place smells like stale plastic and grease. Sandwiches are done. One Roast Beef on Rye and one Ham and Swiss on Wheat.

ENTRY 321

Just got back from town. Can’t find Mom. Her car is still here. She must be in the house. Wait, I [DATA CORRUPT]

ENTRY 322

Found Mom in basement. I was wandering upstairs calling her name when I heard her mumbling. Voice must have been echoing up from the pipes or something. The lights to the basement were off. I tried turning them on, but the switch didn’t work. I grabbed a flashlight from the kitchen. Even with the flashlight it was still dark. I found her near the boiler rubbing her arms up and down. She wouldn’t look at me. I took her upstairs and put her into bed. She didn’t say anything. I called Dr. Moriarty. He said he can make a house call tomorrow morning. Nice guy. After I hung up the phone I checked on Mom. She asked about the cat and I told her to just forget the damn thing all ready.

ENTRY 323

I can’t sleep. I keep hearing things. Voices from downstairs. I’m tired. It must be echoing through the pipes. Deep voices. I’m imagining things. I’m tired. I’m [DATA CORRUPT]

ENTRY 324

[DATA CORRUPT]

ENTRY 325

[DATA CORRUPT]

ENTRY 325

The doctor stopped by and checked on Mom. Says she’s getting old. No shit. Says she needs rest. Says I should look after her for a couple more days. I called in to work and took the week off. After he left, Mom said she was feeling much better.

ENTRY 326

Bad smell coming from basement. Going to investigate. Can’t find flashlight.

ENTRY 327

I found the cat. It was all bashed up and it was missing [DATA CORRUPT]

ENTRY 328

Heard voices again last night. Went downstairs to investigate and found TV on. Mom was out of bed. Found her in basement. It still reeks down there even though I moved that damn cat.

ENTRY 329

Slow day. Mom seeming much better. Talk of getting new cat and [DATA CORRUPT]

ENTRY 330

Mom in basement again. Locked self in from inside. Can’t break down door. Tried using [DATA CORRUPT]

ENTRY 331

Two hours and still in basement. Called Moriarty. No answer. Mom is crying. There is another voice down there with her. I can hear their voices echoing up the pipes. There’s another voice I can hear it echoing up the pipes there’s another voice I can hear [DATA CORRUPT] Getting sledge hammer from yard.

ENTRY 332

Door broken down. So dark. Flashlight isn’t working. Don’t hear mom anymore. Only him. That voice in pipes echoing. Saying things about [DATA CORRUPT] Going down to get mom flashlight or [DATA CORRUPT]

ENTRY 333

[DATA CORRUPT] haha isnt as dark as i thot and the voice is so nice and he promesed to give her bak if i just listen thas wat he [DATA CORRUPT]