gravy

Three boys sit on a brick wall. The wall overlooks a river.


One boy inhales though clenched teeth, and tastes the salty air on the back of his tongue. The second likes to ask passers-by if they'll adopt him, or if he can "at least just watch them wake up and get ready for work in the morning". The last boy is wearing an orange sweater, and never is impressed with anything.


The river is quiet. The river is quiet until something makes it not quiet.


"What is that thing?" the first boy asks, pointing to a foreign object that has emerged from the murky waters.


The thing is a body. There are holes in the body and the flesh looks likes it's turning into liquid. The body is becoming one with the river.


"That's gross. He's dead." the other boy remarks.
"I wonder who put him in there."
One of the boys throws a rock. The rock lands on the body's head. The rock sinks a little, into the flesh.


"Goodbye Goliath." orange sweater boy finally speaks. The body sinks.


The first boy eases himself down from the wall. He walks toward the river without looking back.
"There is something I recognize." The second boy and the boy in the orange sweater watch the first boy's jaw move up and down though his back is turned.


The first boy wades into the water. There are pieces of garbage floating atop the black water. He kneels.


"There is nothing familiar in there at all!" the second boy calls out after the first boy. First boy is completely submerged underwater. In seconds he is standing again. He turns, a large glob of deteriorating flesh in his mouth.


"You see anything down there?" the second boy appears intrigued.
"Spit that out!"
First boy tears the flesh and chews.
"You boys have a lot to learn."