From Below

by Darcy Coates

“Nothing big was ever achieved without a little risk.” Roy took another deep breath and let it out as a languid sigh. “That’s basically my life motto, bud.” “I thought your motto was eat five Hot Pockets or die trying.” “Same thing, really.”

The surgeon called it the burrowing disease. When passengers or crew felt they were very close to death, they would try to find a small space and wedge themselves inside of it. Perhaps to hide. Perhaps it gave them some comfort in their last minutes.

He would sit with Fitz until the candle was out, Harland decided, but then he would have to leave. Because left to the dark, he was certain Fitz’s stiff lips would begin twitching and his raw, raspy voice would start whispering dark, dangerous secrets.