Page 74 of The Voice of Wild Places
Cornelius laughed again, he felt so goddamn light that he might float away.
Watt pulled Cornelius up until their foreheads were touching.Cornelius' breath caught, but it wasn't a kiss Watt wanted.He repeated that over and over again as Watt stared deep into his eyes.Watt whispered, “I didn't want to.Leave you behind.”
Breathless, he said, “I know.”
They separated, too soon for Cornelius' liking, and resumed their trek into the unknown.Cornelius thought,'Not a bad start to the next step in their trip, not bad at all.'
Always Would
July29th,1930
They had been lost for an eternity.
Watt squinted down at the map stretched out in his hands, despite the fact the paper had previously been soaked through with sweat and rain, and they had no way to know which way was up or down.Cornelius knew without looking at the map that any remaining ink was sparse, the whole damn thing rendered pointless.They’d have better luck with their navigational instruments, if those hadn’t been swallowed by the marsh.
It hadn’t taken long for their endeavor to nosedive, for it seemed the land was against their every step.
A few days after they left Joaquim's site, the weather had shifted into perpetual thunderstorms that lasted for three days straight.The sound was unlike anything Cornelius had ever heard, each thunder crack shook the ground with the full force of their rage.The rain fell in heavy sheets, pinning the trio into a makeshift shelter for days upon end.It was a close fit, and would have been intimate and awkward if not for the insects burrowing into every nook and cranny available.They ate very little, since a fire and hunting for any supplemental protein was impossible.
When the rain had cleared and travel was possible again, they were faced with mud, flooding, and surprise marshes.With the jungle as thick as it was, it reminded Cornelius of what he’d read the everglades to be like.Thick with trees, predators, muck, and water.Serious flooding had occurred and it took days for all that rainwater to seep back into the ground, which had been hardened by drought.One wrong step introduced the first surprise marsh, which had sucked Cornelius in up to his waist.Watt had gotten the worst of it trying to pull him out, and their gear had been caked with mud.What wasn't claimed by the swamp, anyway.The landscape changed little in terms of landmarks, and it gave the illusion of traveling in circles.Hell, for all they knew that was true.Cornelius had fallen more in the past month than he had in all his life, even more than on their way to the site.He hurt everywhere, he was exhausted, and he was annoyed.
“I think …” Watt looked up, frowned at the surrounding jungle, then back down at the map again.
That was it.Cornelius splintered apart.
“For hell’s sake Watt, for once in your life just admit that you failed!”Cornelius shouted, and birds took flight overhead.He hadn’t even realized the words were coming until they’d been thrown into the air between them.
Watt jerked back, stunned.His mouth opened and closed, then he methodically folded the map.He clutched it in his hand and said, “What are you talking about?”He shook his head and laughed, the sound rang hollow.“All I do is fail.”
Cornelius jabbed a finger in his direction.“Oh, don’t youdare.”
“No.”Watt straightened, his body going rigid.“My life may look like a string of successes to you, but it is not.I am lonely and odd and queer in a way that has nothing to do with my … habits!”He threaded a viciously shaking hand through his hair, knocking his hat into the grass.Maggie whined, a shrill noise Cornelius had never heard before.But he’d also never seen Watt like this before.His eyes were wild, and he sucked in air like his life depended on it.
Suddenly, Cornelius felt very small as he watched the other man come undone.This was his fault.He did this.Maggie whined again from her place at Watt's feet, but she wasn’t looking up at him.Cornelius’ attention was redirected when Watt’s previous near shout drained to a whisper.“I could give two shits about recognition and wealth and everything else.That sounds ungrateful and I’m sure it is, but what I want is to behappy.In that, I have failed for nearly every day of my life.Except …”
Watt stared at Cornelius, his hand tore out strands as it dropped to his side.“Except for the past few months … with you.”He said this last piece like a revelation, and the words sank into Cornelius’ bones deeper than any prayer ever would.
Cornelius said, “Watt, I—”
Maggie yelped, her cry high and sharp.She jumped and spun in place, her cry transforming into a vicious growl.
“Maggie?”Watt startled, hands reaching down to steady her.“It’s alright girl, I’m alright.”
Watt’s hat falling into the grass.The shrill cry Cornelius assumed came from Maggie.
Time slowed, and the next few moments unfolded in fractured bits and pieces, pieces that would never come back together, no matter how much time passed for Cornelius.At that moment, all he could foresee was Watt bitten.
Watt dying.
Watt gone.
He didn’t remember putting his knife to hand, but his fingers closed around the familiar handle all the same.
Cornelius lunged before Watt could run his hands further down Maggie’s body.
Cornelius yelled, “Snake!”
He hit his knees and grabbed the snake by its tail, stretching it taut with all the strength and bravery he could muster.
