The Vessel

---

Mama always used to tell me

I was gonna be something great.

Don't worry.

They'll see, she would say.

It's kinda funny

to think about that now.

Say my name, mama.

The tide does seem

lower than usual.

The mothers in town

like to tell me

that she was always

a little crazy.

Even before all the kids died.

Which is a lie.

Truth is all the women

secretly resent my mother.

And why wouldn't they?

All of them dressed in black.

Refusing to have

any more children.

Like they all agreed

that the first woman

to wear color again

was the worst mother in town.

Well...

My mother wears pink.

I was eleven years old

when I decided to marry Soraya.

And every day for six years

I prayed for the courage

to talk to her.

But I never did.

So she married someone else.

Soraya's husband

was the school teacher...

And he died in the wave

along with my brother Tigo

and the rest of the class.

My brother's favorite thing

was using the pencil sharpener.

So if he was good all week

Mr. Diaz would give him

a new pencil to sharpen.

Sometimes I think about

the moment the wave hit.

I hope it was quick.

That they never saw it coming.

I hope Tigo was sharpening

his new pencil.

And the fish

that is in the river shall die.

And the river shall stink.

Father Douglas moved here

a few years before the wave...

And everybody loved him.

When he finally realized people

had stopped having children...

He made it his mission

to help them move on.

Not today, father.

It wasn't working.

Maybe if you give him

some communion bread.

Oh no, Bigo. That's impossible.

Hang on a second.

In the name of the father,

the son, and the holy spirit.

Thank you. Thank you, father.

Can I get you anything, father?

Some water, please.

Rosita.

Good morning.

Father Douglas.

Yes. How are you today?

Better.

You look good.

I brought you something.

You remembered.

Yes.

Lord I am not worthy

that you should enter

under my roof.

Only say that word

and I shall be healed.

Rosita.

The body of Christ.

Amen.

Father.

What?

Do you think

I'll see the children?

Yes I know that you will.

Not yet.

You get some rest now.

When my friends

started moving to the city...

I knew it was only

a matter of time

until my bestfriend

Gabriel went too.

For months we didn't talk

about it.

Until one day I finally said

he should go with them.

It was the first time

I ever saw him cry.

What the hell is that?

This is my survival pack.

Everything I'll ever need

is in here. Help me with it.

You're gonna walk all the way to

the city with that?

Let me show you something.

You pushed this thing

all the way over here?

Nope.

You fixed it?

You fixed it? I thought you said

this thing was dead.

I've been working on it

for a few weeks now.

This is great, man.

Congratulations.

I thought you might need it.

What?

I'm giving it to you.

For your trip.

Come on.

This is your dad's bike.

Now it's yours.

No one here uses it.

I want you to have it.

Hi, Gabriel.

- Hey, father.

- What time you leaving tomorrow?

I don't know.

When I wake up.

Just make sure you don't leave

without saying goodbye.

- Yes, father.

- Good deal.

Fidelia.

How are you this evening?

Don't open your eyes

for too long or it burns.

May I?

The body of Christ.

Hey, father.

Hey.

She seems better today.

Does she?

I think so.

That's good.

You want some coffee?

No, thanks.

Big day for Gabriel tomorrow.

Yeah.

What about you, Leo?

Me?

What are your plans?

Plans for what?

Life. Your future.

Everybody else your age

has already left town.

I don't know.

I'm not really sure.

I think you should go

with Gabriel tomorrow.

I can talk to Soraya

about your mother.

She's got

a couple of rooms available

and I'm she'd be willing to let

your mother stay there.

Why don't you go by there

in the morning and check it out?

I really think

your mother would like it there.

Then maybe you should ask her.

Well...

Think about it will you?

Good night, father.

That's because while you

were listening to father Douglas

ramble on about Saint Francis

or whatever

I was under the pews

looking up the girls' skirts.

I miss girls.

They smell so good.

And ice cream.

When was the last time

you had ice cream?

- A long time ago.

- A long time, right?

The first thing I'm gonna do

when I get to the city...

Is have ice cream with a girl

that smells good.

I hate this place, man.

You're pissing on me.

Son of a...

Leo, look at this.

Look at this.

- Water.

- Get some water!

Let me help you.

I never told you this,

but sometimes I like to

go out to the beach

and visit your mother.

Sometimes I spend all day

listening to peoples problems

and I just need someone

to listen to me.

Leo you can talk to me

if you like.

About what?

You and your best friend

were dead for three hours

and then you came back to life.

You don't think

that's worth talking about?

What do you remember

from last night?

What about the three hours?

The kids all disappeared

into the ocean...

So there was never really

a funeral after the wave.

Father Douglas told me

it wasn't my fault.

That I shouldn't feel guilty

to be alive.

That god had a special purpose

for me.

I wasn't really convinced.

Doa Soraya.

What are you doing?

The water's out in the house.

Thanks.

Leo.

I'm glad you're ok.

What is that thing

in the yard, Leo?

I don't know.

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