Day 22

My phone was ringing 'beepbeepbeep~beepbeep~tung beepbeepbeep~beepbeep~tung beepbeepbeep~beepbeep~tung' scrambling for it on my right, I managed to grab it off my end table, I glanced at the caller, Boris, and he was calling me at 6:07 AM, “ugh. Hey man.” I say, in my least tired voice “There you are Lou, got a job for you, real urgent.” He says, his voice lacking any urgency at all. “Sounds like it, what do you need me to do?” I asked, my strange dream slipping from my mind as I woke up. “There's been a leak in the dam, and they're asking for 20 guys, first come first served.”

“and? I just got done with a four-week gig, I just want to sleep, my arms' killing me man.”

“I know, I know, but, they're paying 4 times normal rates, they are saying they want it done by tomorrow, and I figured you could do at least one day of hard work, then enjoy a real break.”

“Fine, but you're picking me up, I don't feel like driving.” I respond, already getting up, and putting on my work gear. “I was already on my way, see you in twenty, make sure you eat, bye.” He hung up, and I stowed my phone in my pocket. Yawning, I walked downstairs, my stomach grumbled loudly, and I grabbed an apple, biting into it, as I grabbed a mug, and filled it with some cold water. I chewed on the apple, waking up more and more, and wanting to take a sip, I shoved my left hand into the mug of water, splashing it all over myself. “what the fuck?” I stop, and look at my left hand, surprised that my thirst is not quenched, and then I slowly pull my hand out and grab the handle, and take a sip. 'why did I... okay...' I thought to myself, a little freaked out. I took another sip, and attributed the slip up to waking up mid-dream, always heard that'll mix you up a bit, especially if your not really awake when you're doing stuff. Yeah, that had to be it.

I ate the rest of the apple, and grabbed a couple of oat bars, and my construction tool bag, and left my small apartment. I walked downstairs, stretching, I was still tired, and hoped that the car ride with Boris would wake me up, or give me time to nap some more. I walked across the parking lot as I saw Boris' car turn into the driveway, and waved him down. “you're early!” he exclaims through a mouthful of breakfast fast food. “just want to get this done and get paid.” I said as I opened the door, pulling myself into the soft embrace of his seats. I buckled up, put my bag in my lap, and laid back in his overly comfortable seats.

We were driving for 10 minutes in silence before I thought to ask Boris, “how far's the dam?”

“Not too much further Lou, we're almost there, just gotta head through the park on foot.” He responded, pulling into a gravel lot, and parking next to a familiar pick up truck, “guess Rainers' here too.”

“Oh shit really, I thought he retired a couple months ago?”

“Nah, he just stopped showing up, something about a family member, you gonna ask him?”

“Pfft, no, I wanna be done by tonight, not next week.” I joked as I got out of the car, cracking my back, and waited for Boris to get his stuff out of the trunk. I looked at the forest path into the park, and it looked familiar, I looked around, looking for some sort of sign telling me what the parks name was, but I saw nothing. “hey Boris, whats this park called again?”

“Dunno, they just told me the job and the address, and I told them I was bringing you.”

“Weird, but, okay, sure, whatever, let's get goin',” I said, starting to head into the forest, the path soft beneath my feet

It took us thirty minutes before we saw the dam, it was an ugly structure, over 60 feet tall, with a large crack in the middle of it, water blasting through, and I was struck stupid by a sense of déjà vu, and stopped in my tracks. “You okay Lou?” Boris asked, having walked forward another 10 feet before turning around, seeing me stalk still. “yeah, sorry, just felt something weird.” I shook my head, trying to get rid of that sense of familiarity, and the feeling of wrongness. “Hey, Boris?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you get the feeling that there's something wrong here?”

“You feel it too?”

“Uh-huh, yeah, like there's something out of place here?”

“Yeah, it's almost like there's a giant crack in that dam, and we're here to fix it.”

“Fuck you.” I roll my eyes, 'he wouldn't get it' I think to myself, shaking again, trying to get rid of that weird feeling.

We walked along the path leading to the top of the dam, and reached the top, seeing several belay lines being set up along the edge of the dam, leading down both sides. “ah you must be Boris and Luis, right? They said you were coming as a pair.” came a voice from behind us. Turning around startled, we saw a middle-aged businessman, wearing a suit and tie, I hadn't seen or heard him come up from behind us, and neither had Boris. “Yes, yes we are, I'm Luis, this is Boris, and you are...?”

“Apologies, I'm Peter Ophidias, I'm the owner of this dam.”

“Oh, okay, are you here to inspect the work?” I responded, confused as to why the client was here now, rather than when the work was almost complete, it was a hot day already, and it wasn't even seven, and he was wearing a black suit.

“no, no, I just thought that if I was going to pay someone else to do my... dirty work, I might as well be there when it happens.”

“okaaaay, well, let's get started, Boris-” I turned to look at Boris, but he was already gone, putting on the belay harness, and talking to who I supposed was the foreman, wearing a safety helmet and high vis vest. Quickly, I put on my own safety gear, and walked over, turning back, and not seeing hide nor tail of Mr. Ophidias. “what a strange man.” I said to myself, and greeted the foreman, before getting to work.

It was a grueling 6 hours before it happened, I was chipping away at the crack in the dam, removing the broken parts, trying to get to the unbroken sections so we could apply the cement, then it happened. Without much more warning then an “OH SHIT!” the dam broke, launching me back with a flood of water, 'not yet, I can't die yet' I thought to myself before darkness overcame me.