Chapter 14: Finding John Dead
Carl was cooking a batch of beans in a big metal pot when he realized he needed more onions. “Hey Minty and Greta, I’m going to the galley to get more onions, be back in a few.” The two girls shook their heads and said Okay Carl. He wiped his hands off on a dish towel and headed down the hallway towards the galley. Walking down a flight of stairs, hurrying as fast as he could. Not wanting the beans to over cook before the rest of the onions were added.
Passing by a few doors he started to smell something very foul. Walking past the holding door Carl stops because the stench becomes stronger. Slowly opening the creaking wooded door, a blast of thick sickening sweet smell. It was so strong Carl’s stomach started to turn. He smelled dead flesh before being a sailor, but this was horrible, The heat had been extremely high while on the sea.
Opening the door all the way, he saw a decaying dead body. He could see small black spots flying around everywhere, obviously blowflies. If there were blowflies, then there are maggots. Walking towards the body he could faintly tell the decomposing body of John. He never liked John, he was a drunk and cruel. There were a few run ins with Minty but Carl put a stop to it after he confronted John.
Waving his hands at the blowflies trying to keep them away from his face, there was John. Bloated, discolored with maggots all over his body. The room was like a furnace from the heat. Opening the small port hole window to let some fresh air in. Body fluid started to pour out of his body, mixing with the dry blood on the wooden floor. Probably never will get the smell out of this room after this. Carl thought to himself.
Kicking his body, he heard a pop and gas started to spray out of his stomach from the bloating. Hell no, fuck this. Carl said to himself as he left to go get help so they could get rid of the body. He’s not even worth doing a sailor’s funeral for. Irritated hoping his pot of beans won’t overcook.
Going up a couple flight of steps he grabbed a couple of deck hands to help him. The three of them walked back down to the holding room. One of the deckhands almost changed his mind about going inside the room because of the smell. He put his hand over his mouth, thought he was going to vomit everything up that was in his stomach.
“Come on, you’re a man not a pussy. Get the fuck over here and help us throw him overboard.” Carl was getting angry and frustrated. That man is a sailor he shouldn’t be vomiting over a dead body. The Deckhand held his breath and walked over, turning his head to the side trying to keep the smell form his face. All three of them picked up a limb of John’s and carried him to the top deck.
John didn’t deserve anything better, they just needed to get rid of the smell and maggots. Carrying him up a few flights of stairs John’s body was leaving a trail of stinky body fluids. Carl was hoping his arm or leg wouldn’t pull off the body while carrying him.
Once they made it to the top deck they opened a small gate that was part of the railing and Carl counted to three as the swung him to get a momentum going and toss him into the sea.
Watching as the body hit the water, a mess of sharks picked up on the smell within seconds and swam up to John and took a piece of him. The water from the sharks was splashing everywhere, trying to tear johns body into bite size pieces. When the water died dies they three men watched blood and black body fluids float on top of the water as the sharks swam away with a piece of him.