We’ve all heard stories of cows being lifted up and thrown through the air by tornadoes, sometimes landing many miles from where the winds picked them up. I even read of a dolphin being swooped from the ocean by a Tsunami and ending up in a small pond somewhere in Indonesia. But there’s things more terrifying that the forces of nature can swoop up and put in places where no one would expect them. This is my recollection of what happened. It’s all true.

My name is Jay, about two years ago my wife was pregnant with our child, we live just outside of Boston. We were having a stressful time, her family didn’t necessarily approve me because I’m about ten years her senior and she was “only twenty-one” at the time, but nothing was going to keep us apart. So instead of waiting for some sort of final approval we just did what we thought was right and decided to have a baby, but pregnant women wouldn’t be pregnant women if they didn’t become overtly emotional. About everything.
Needless to say our marriage was under pressure at the time, not that either one of us had even played with the concept of leaving the other, but regardless it was bad. But we both knew why and we both agreed things would be alright, we were looking forward to the baby.

One of my best friends, Barry, knew exactly what we were going through. Not only had he become father under slightly similar circumstances, he was a white guy trying to get approval of an Afro-American family, he sadly had lost the struggle and divorced a few months prior to my wife’s pregnancy. Barry was the kind of guy that had everything coming his way, somehow, with a great job at Citizens Bank, a nice car, great at golf but the only thing he sucked at was love… For as long as I knew him he always chose the hardest pick of all girls he could find. So, of course, Barry had to fall in love with the daughter of one of the board of directors members. An absolute upper-class Afro-American family who was not waiting for some pasty, white Bostonian kid to become their new son-in-law. Especially not with Barry’s faux-Irish accent he would kick in whenever nervous.
So it wasn’t before long, about two years after the birth of his son, that the marriage began to crack under the pressure of his in-laws. Long story short, his wife has an epiphany of sorts, of being a born-again Christian and becoming a Jehovah’s Witness, Barry does not want this and his in-laws see a oppertunity by supporting her and making him come off as a sinner. I think Anti-Christ would be closer actually.
So it all spirals out into an ugly divorce in which Barry is left with virtually nothing. Except, by a twist of fate, he somehow manages to squeeze through that he gets the family vacation house. Don’t ask me how or why, he just did. That’s Barry for you.

This is where the story really starts, Barry wants to make the vacation house into some sort of Bed & Breakfast, located in picturesque Newmarket, New Hampshire it was admittedly pretty ideal. However with no money you don’t get very far, and the divorce had snagged pretty much snagged everything he owned or would own for the foreseeable future. So Barry needed some help, at least to get him started, guess who he called?

“Jay! J-Boy! Jay my Man! From Japan…!”
– “…Japan?”
“…You try finding something that rhymes with man. Bodyscan?” He said slightly embarrassed, he wasn’t much of a rhymer.
– “Haha. Alright, fair enough. What’s up Barry? How are you, how’s the divorce?”
“Nasty… You know I haven’t seen my kid in a month?”
– “I’m so sorry to hear that, man. Anything I can do?”
“Well that’s why I’m calling…”
An awkward silence fell.
“…Jay?”
– “Barry… This is not something crazy, right? Just asking in advance. I mean Maria is pregnant, I can’t give you any money…”
“No! No! Jay, relax! Just breathe… …Like they tought you at pregnancy class.” He replied teasingly.
– “Shut up you porky Irish bastard…” I grumbled snickering.
“Listen, remember how I told you about the vacation house?”
– “Yes?”
“I’m doing it!”
– “You are? That’s great man! Anything I can do? Besides lending you money, of course.”
“Will you stop with the money already!? This isn’t about money… No money! I need your two hands!”
– “Two hands? At least leave me one so I can change the baby’s diapers.” I grinned.
“Hur-hur-hur… Jay’s so quirky and hil-ar-ious… …Listen, you did a great job with the baby room. You could double for a carpenter!”
– “You want me to be your carpenter? You’re joking right? I’m a News Tape Editor with Channel 5 News! And I’m Jewish!”
“…What’s you being Jewish got to do with anything? And you’re not even observing.”
– “I don’t know, I figured I’d kick that in if the first part wasn’t a good enough excuse.”
“Well it ain’t, Jesus was a Jew too and he was a carpenter… Listen, this could be great, you take a week’s worth of vacation and bring Mary, we work on the B&B section of the house while your beautiful pregnant wife relaxes… And in the evenings you spent time in front of the cozy fireplace, make love on the rug made out of real bear skin…”
– “Yeah… While you’re jacking off to the sound of me and my girl getting it on from your adjacent bedroom.”
“Jay! …I would never!” He could hardly hold his laughing.
– “Well you sure know how to sell things, Barry.” I sighed, “I’ll talk to Maria about it, but I doubt this will take off.”
“Don’t forget to mention making looove in front of the fireplace…”
– “Bye, Barry…”
“And the bear skin ru-…” He kicked in as I hung up the phone.

I turned around and immediately caught the gaze of my wife, how I love her mischievous smirk, it’s how we got into all this trouble to begin with. That smirk.
“So… Barry, huh?” She said through her smile.
– “Yep, Barry, Barry, Barry…” I said somewhat nervously
“And what does ‘Barry, Barry, Barry’ want now?” She replied as she sat down on a bar stool with great difficulty, her belly was getting big. Her brown hair glimmered like sunshine, her almond-shaped eyes radiated her cynical and humorous personality, her lips as kissable as ever, her skin slightly tan from a mixed-race Oriental background. How I loved her.
– “Uhhh…” I laughed apologetically, “He has this idea where I help him with the B&B, doing some carpentry while you relax in beautiful Newmarket, New Hampshire…”
“I see, ummm…” She said rather unimpressed.
– “It has a fireplace!” I kicked in.
“Oh! A fireplace!?” She replied rather interested.
– “Yeah! AND a rug made out of real bear skin!”
“…That’s sad…” She replied rubbing her belly.
– “…Oh… Well… We could replace it and make love in front of the fireplace?” I tried to turn things around.
“Oh, of course. And meanwhile Barry’s spanking his monkey in the backroom eavesdropping on our moment of passion.” She grinned, how could anyone not love this woman? I walked over and kissed her hard.
– “You see? That’s what I told him too… You so get me!”
“Hmpfff…” She said and snuggled face-to-face, “What do you want?”
– “I guess he could really use the help… He’d do anything to help us if we were in his situation.” I said with my most guilt-inducing tone of voice.
“…Oh, gosh… You just had to say that didn’t you?” She replied and lay her head on my shoulder thinking, “Fine…”
– “Really!? Baby, really!?” I laughed as she rolled her eyes, I must’ve given her a dozen kisses on the face and another few on her belly.

I called back Barry, who yelled so loud through the phone in celebration that my wife, and unborn child, must’ve been able to hear it from the other side of the house. We agreed to go there in two weeks, Barry would ride with us since he had no car since the divorce and he knew directions. We went there in our brand new minivan, every man’s wildest dream for a ride, with Barry next to me.
Now, in case you didn’t already notice, Barry is the kind of guy that really… …Demands attention. Like the world ceases to exist, there is just Barry. And because he arrived the evening prior we pretty much had no time to watch the news, read the paper or check the internet. As such we left our Boston suburb unknowing of an on-storming hurricane off of the coast of New England, that’s right.

The drive there was alright till I started noticing that the dark sky, the endless rain and the lack of traffic was sort of, kind of, peculiar. I then proceeded to ask Barry to check if anything was amiss. Such he did and with his best poker face he told me it was just a fall storm, nothing to worry about.
And he was right, that is until you end up in the dark of night with wind trying to overturn your silly, little van, having zero visibility because of branches and rain smashing into your windscreen and your pregnant wife going back to reciting Catholic-prayers from her youth. So I had a few questions for my friend.

“Are you fucking insane!?”
– “Insane!? What are you talking about!? It’s just a fall storm!” Barry insisted.
“You lying motherf-…” I grumbled, “I swear! If we get there and I find out this is a hurricane, I’m taking the nearest claw hammer and-…”
– “It’s a hurricane…” He admitted.

I slammed the brakes and proceeded to bash my wailing friend trying to calm me down and get rid of his seatbelt. I think my wife tried scratching him too. I hope she did.

“Do you even know where we are!?” I screamed at him, holding him by the throat.
– “I’ve never been here before!” He squealed.
“Okay, that’s it – I’m getting the claw hammer…” I growled and opened the door, almost being sucked from the car.
– “He’s not really going to do it, is he?” Barry asked scared to my wife.
“…Hello!? Have you seen me!? I’m pregnant! And you got us into a hurricane! You better run…”

Barry opened the door of the van and was nearly blown away, he ran around the van as I approached.
“Jay! Listen! I love you man! I would never mean to!”
– “Fuck you, Barry! Stand still, I have a few ribs I want to crack!” I yelled over the storm, the van shaking slightly from the wind.
“No! No!” He yelled almost crying, “Please! I’m so sorry! I didn’t know! I swear, I didn’t know until it was too late!”
– “Where the fuck are we, Barry!? And how the hell are you going to get us out of here!?” I yelled, struggling against the wind as a branch hit me in the face.
“I’ll find a way! I promise! We can’t be that far away from Newmarket!” He insisted, rain was pouring down his face, “I think we should just drive straight ahead!”
– “Oh yeah, cause that always works! You fat Irishman! If you’re wrong and my wife even has a scratch, I swear to God, Barry! That’s the last thing you ever screwed up!”
“I know! I know! I’m okay with that! Just no hammer to my ribs, just let me try to fix it! Okay!?”
– “…Shit! …Get in the fucking car, you buffoon!” I gave in.

We stepped in, wet and cold and sat in the car without saying a word, I could feel my wife’s warm hand running down the back of my neck.
“It’s okay…” She said, “We’re all still alive and… …I don’t know.”
– “It’s not okay.” I grumbled giving an angry stare at my friend who fiddled with his phone.
“No reception.” He sighed. “Look, Mary’s right… We’ll be fine.”
– “I’m not done with you though, Barry.” She growled from the back seat, I could visually see Barry’s skin form goosebumps. Never scorn a pregnant woman. Let alone one with a mixture of Italian feistiness and Asian crazy.
“Okay… Lets just drive…” I suggested and started the car, “No use sitting here.”
– “That’s the spirit! Full speed ahead!” Barry yelled.
“Shut up, Barry!” Me and my wife yelled in stereo.

We drove on and on, slowly the clock kept ticking and the fuel slowly began to run out. We passed through forests, small lakes and reservoirs, dams and levees and open fields. It seemed as if  New Hampshire had retreated in its entirety and it was just the three of us, well… The four of us given my wife was carrying a passenger of her own.
After another three hours of driving, it was now 1:30AM in the morning, I decided it was time to call it a day. We’d be better off with the car just idling and keeping us warm, with the emergency lights on and hopefully someone would drive near by and see us.

“So…” I said as I parked the car and turned my head to Barry.
– “…Uhhh.”
“How are you going to fix it, Barry?” I hissed. He turned around facing my wife as if looking for support, she just raised her eyebrows.
– “I’ll go look for help?” He suggested, I suppose anything was better than sitting in a closed environment with two people who are plotting your mysterious, unresolved disappearance.
“What a wonderful idea, Barry.” My wife said in her sweetest tone, “Baby, why don’t you give him a flashlight, a raincoat and some road flares?”
– “Don’t you just love her?” I grinned at Barry, he now seemed unsure of this plan but realized that backing out was not much of an option.
“Yeah… Love her…” He replied.
– “What was that?” She said all girly.
“Nothing, nothing.” Barry quickly answered as he stepped from the van.
– “Are we really letting him do this?” I said in the rearview mirror.
“Yes.”
– “Alright.” I replied, best to give in, and stepped from the car and went to the back of the vehicle and opened it.

I grabbed out a yellow plastic rain coat, a big flashlight and a handful of road flares and handed it to Barry. For as far as an Irishman can give a puppy look, he did.
“Sorry, man… You brought us into this! You get us out! Remember what you said!? Straight ahead! Go be a hero, Barry! Make us proud!” I said and gave him a pet on the back.
“‘kay…” Barry replied quietly and turned on the flashlight and began to walk off, he looked back a few times. He was probably thinking of how nice and warm the van was or afraid we’d drive off without him.

I pulled out a with some dry clothing and stepped into the back of the van with my girl, she helped me change clothes and we tried to relax in each other’s arms. It was quiet, aside from the wind and occasional thunder, it was just me and her against the world. Well, me her and the baby, of course.

After she was laying in my arms, despite a hurricane being outside, she began snoozing for about an hour as I looked at the sky light up every so often. Though I was very angry at him I was still worried about Barry. What if he slipped and fell because of the storm and ended up in one of the lakes or reservoirs? He’d never get back out on his own. It troubled me deeply, but there was no way I was leaving my pregnant wife behind in the car by herself, despite that she was farting like a boatworker and had me trapped in it.

For one reason or another I looked up and could see the bright pinkish glow of a flare in the far distance. It had to be Barry.
“Honey, wake up!” I said to my wife, she scared awake.
– “We’re still here!?” She said disappointed.
“I know, baby. I know.” I replied giving a kiss on her forehead, I understood her disappointment. “There’s a flare in the distance, it has to be Barry!”

I crawled out from underneath of her, got back behind the wheel and with little gas left I drove towards the flare. And there he stood waving it, I stopped next to him.
“And!?” I said.
– “There’s a small house in the distance, I saw a light! Someone’s there, it’s too far to walk by myself – just try and get me closer!” He explained and stepped in.

I drove off to where he told me to go, going up a gentle slope I could tell the van was starting to have some trouble with so little gas left, but I kicked the hell out of the pedals and made it up a small hill. There in the distance I could see a small house, light inside and a small bug zapper on the porch. But all around the house the ground glimmered.
“Barry, goddamnit you moron! It’s on a freaking tiny island!” I said completely demotivated and banged my head against the steering wheel.
– “No worries!” Barry insisted, “We still have flares! And I brought an air horn to scare you…”
“Yes, using an air horn near a pregnant woman is always the smart thing to do, Barry. Bravo!” I said annoyed.
– “I was going to tell her… But with some luck, they’ll hear it! Look outside and bam! There I am with a flare, saving the day!”
“Ahhh, he thinks he’s a hero. That’s cute.” My wife said as she rubbed her eyes.
– “Shush, you.” I smirked, “I hope you’re right, Barry. I really do.”

Barry stepped from the car and ran towards the shore, onto a deck and set off a flare while blasting the horn. To my surprise I could even hear it over the storm, but perhaps I was kidding myself. Persistently he kept going until something moved in the house, it seemed that afterall it might be able to work. Typically Barry’s luck.
As the flare reflected in the water, for a moment it seemed as if something moved through it, breaking the surface. Barry backed up for a second, as if he saw it too, then studied the water and continued to blast the horn. Finally the door of the little house opened, someone ran out to the shore of the small island and waved a flashlight.
“He did it, honey! He did it!” I laughed.
– “Looks like Barry redeemed himself then.”

Barry and the man were wildly signalling each other and trying to shout at each other over the noise of the storm. The signalled something and ran to the back of the island, probably to get a boat. Barry was running our way, almost slipping on the wet tarmac several times, I decided to meet him half way and stepped out running over.
“And!?”
– “He’s got a boat! He’ll be there in five minutes!”
“Good job, Barry! You did it! You really redeemed yourself!”
– “I did, didn’t I?” He smiled through the cold as we ran for the van.
“Hey, Barry… Can I ask you something?” I said.
– “Sure? What is it, buddy?”
“This might sound really weird… But… Did you see something moving in the water?”
For a moment Barry froze and looked at me.
– “You saw it too?”
“Yeah… What do you think it was?”
– “I don’t know, Jay… I’m thinking a seal or something.”
“Sure. Okay, lets say it’s a seal.” I quickly agreed, though it seemed unlikely.

Barry stepped into the van and I rolled the vehicle down-hill towards the shore line, where I could see a small boat coming with a light on it. In it sat a man in fisherman’s gear and a dog.
“Okay, honey do you think you can make it there if Barry gives you his rain coat?” I asked worried to my wife.
– “Sure.” She bobbed her head as if it was nothing.
Barry gave his raincoat to my wife and she got ready as the little boat made it to the deck. We quickly hurried towards the boat, where the man stood waiting, he had an old and weathered face, he seemed unphased by our frantic behavior.
“Hi! I’m Jay! This is Barry and this is my wife! She’s pregnant! We have nowhere to go, can you help us, please!?”
– “I’m here, am I not?” He spoke calmly and grabbed a firm hold of my wife as if she was an expensive tuna he was not going to let slip back into the water.
“Thank you!” Barry yelled as the dog sniffed on every spot a man doesn’t want a dog to be around.

I stepped onto the little boat after my wife, followed by Barry and the very enthusiastic, old dog. The old man started the engine and sailed off towards the small island. As I looked around the water I saw what seemed almost like a fountain spraying up from the surface not too awfully far away. I figured it was just a wave crashing into a rock along the shore and splashing up, still it unnerved me. As I looked back I noticed the old man studying me, he’d seen me looking and now he just nodded. Great… What does that mean?

We sailed around the small island and stopped at a small dock, the dog jumped off and ran towards the safety of the house. The old man climbed onto the deck and carefully helped my wife ashore as I lifted her up in my arms.
“Go on inside, sweetheart.” He grumbled with low voice to her as he yanked me ashore with one arm.
– “Thanks!” I said and quickly hurried after my wife who was petting the dog in the door opening.
Barry helped the old man tie down the boat hurricane proof.
“Nice cabin…” Barry said looking around as he stepped in.
– “It’s not a cabin. It’s a house.” The old man grumbled.
“Excuse my friend, he’s an impolite Irish Bostonian.” I explained.
– “I have French ancestry.” The old man said as he took off his wet suit.
“We’re very sorry to disturb you mister…?” I asked.
– “My name is Jonah.” He replied and grabbed a few towels for us.
“Ah! Like in the Bible!” My wife said enthusiastically.
– “Yes. With the whale.” Jonah replied and gave her a towel, “You people Christians?”
“I am!” My wife replied in an almost naive fashion.
– “Uh, sort of… I’m a Liberal Protestant.” I added.
“I don’t know what that means but I don’t like Liberal anything.” Jonah calmly underscored. Perfect.
He looked at Barry,
“Oh, no… I don’t believe in deities, but I was raised Catholic for what it’s worth…” Barry explained, “I went to camp got abu…”
– “Stop!” I quickly kicked in looking at Barry, he blushed embarrassed as I shook my head.
“…Sit down.” Jonah insisted as he strolled into a little kitchen. His dog jumped up against the seat my wife was in and curiously lay his head on her belly, it made her snicker. Barry and me smiled at each other, it looked like we made it.

Jonah came back with some coffee and tea and sat it down for us, for a moment he studied each of us.
“Come here, Ahab…” He said to his dog who was captivated by the presence of my wife and what lived inside of her.
– “Ahab, huh?” I smiled, “Sounds like you got a whole theme going here?”
“I’m sorry?” Jonah replied as if I said something suspicious.
– “…No, it’s… I don’t mean anything by it.” I looked at my wife who shrugged, “I mean you’re Jonah from ‘Jonah and the Whale’, your dog is Ahab… Like from ‘Moby Dick’… One of the greatest works of American fiction?”
“You mean books?”
– “Yes… Books.” I said rather uncomfortable.
“Don’t read books…”
– “Why not?” Barry asked confused.
“Too Liberal.” Jonah replied as he sipped from his cup not letting Barry out of his sight for a moment.
– “Ah…” Barry smirked, “I think I’ve noticed another theme! Too Liberal!”
“…Nice, Barry. Very subtle.” I sighed and took a mouthful of a coffee too thick.
– “So… You like whales?” Jonah saw with his raspy voice.
“Ummm… Sure, why not?” I smiled, relieved he was skipping on Barry’s comment.
– “Did you know we have whales here?” He continued.
“Wow, really? What kind of whales?” I asked.
– “All sorts of ’em… Big ones, small ones… Killer ones.”
“Killer ones?” I smiled awkwardly, “You mean Killer Whales?”
– “Sure…”
“Wow.” My wife said, “I’d love to see one some day, I mean in the wild.”
– “Did you know Killer Whales are actually dolphins?” Barry kicked in.
“Looks like a whale to me…” Jonah grumbled. His dog whined nervously.
– “No, it’s really an ocean dolphin…” Barry persisted.
“Let it go, Barry…” I hissed under my breath.
– “I’m just saying it’s a dolphin and not a whale!”
“All dolphins are whales, not all whales are dolphins… Let it go.” I grumbled at him.
– “Whale’s a whale.” Jonah kicked in, he wasn’t going to let go either.
“Are you serious?” Barry said to Jonah, “See… This is where ‘Conservatism’ falters – you don’t listen to other people.”
– “Oh, I suppose I should listen to you then?” Jonah snarled.
A bitter discussion ensued between the two while me and my wife were having uncomfortable eye contact.
“Guys! …Guys! Seriously… You’re not even listening to me, are you?” I tried to calm things down.
– “Can you stop, please?” My wife’s voice broke through the two men, this relaxed things for a moment.
“Alright. Lets talk like gentlemen.” Jonah replied and looked at my wife’s belly, “So how are you on abortion?”
– “Pro!” Barry yelled. Jonah shifted colors to an angry red and purple.
“Who the hell is ‘Pro’ abortion, Barry?” I said deeply annoyed, “I’ve never met anyone who said: ‘Yes! More abortions!’ No one is ‘Pro’ abortion.”
Barry kept quiet, Jonah turned my way, the look in his eyes troubled.
– “So are you ‘Anti’-abortion?” He said in a manner as if my life depended on it.
“Well…” I said, my wife looked at me, she was not a big fan of it. “I consider it a necessary evil.” I added.
– “Oh…?” Jonah grumbled in a deep voice, tightening the grip around his cup of coffee.
“I mean… I prefer babies not being aborted… But if there’s a real good reason I believe the option should be there…” I added, trying not to be intimidated. My wife looked at me disgusted, I shrugged at her. I’m entitled to my own opinion.
– “Oh, I see.” Jonah spoke calmly, “I used to know a woman like that.” This sounded ominous.
“Used to?” Barry said unnerved.
– “Used to…” Jonah repeated. “She was my wife.”

We all fell silent.
“I have no children as you can see.” He added, “I feel a person like me deserved a child. Don’t you think I deserved one?” He asked my wife. She looked seriously freaked out.
– “Uhhh… Sure.” I said trying to get the attention away from her. “But at least you have a pet… A dog.”
“Oh, this one?” Jonah said as he looked at Ahab, “This isn’t even my best one.”
– “I’m sorry?” I replied, “You have any more?”
“You bet.” Jonah answered, he turned back to his normal color but instead smiled rather sadistically.
– “I think he’s going to go ‘I know what you did last Summer’ on us!” Barry whispered, I had to press a smirk away.
“Did you know a hurricane can pick up and blow a Killer Whale calf in-land?” Jonah stated as if it was an achievement of his own.
– “Oh?” I said somewhat cynical.
“Happened about a decade and a half ago.” He said sternly.
– “Awww. That’s terrible, did the poor thing die?” My wife said.
“No.”
– “No?!” Barry said half laughing, “Where did you keep her? Your bathtub?”
“I have a better place.” Jonah replied calmly. The hair on my body stood up straight, I suddenly remembered something moving in the water of the lake.
– “Uhhh… So… I…” I stuttered, he looked at me curiously, “I noticed there was a… A seal or something in the water… The lake.”
Barry turned white and looked at me, he realized too.
“A seal? Oh no… Morgan isn’t a seal.” Jonah laughed and coughed up some phlegm, “Morgan’s much better than a seal.”
– “What are you people talking about?” My wife asked half smiling, half troubled.
“Nothing honey, nothing…” I tried calming her but I could see from her face that she was looking right through me.
– “The next flood allowed Morgan to swim back into the ocean…” He continued, “But whenever the storm tides set in she swims back here to visit…”
Barry swallowed away his nervous,
“So and uhhh… What does she do on these visits?” Barry asked, a trickle of sweat on his forehead.
– “Oh I feed her.” Jonah ensured, “Normally I feed her out on open sea. But when she visits me at the lake, I feed her something special.”

The whole room went deadly quiet, we weren’t sure whether to laugh or run for it, Ahab the dog whined.
“Uhhh, so… What something ‘special’ do you feed her?” I asked reluctantly.
– “Live animals…”
“L-Live…?” Barry stuttered, Jonah nodded. “L-Like what?”
– “Oh, I don’t know… It’s a process… You see Orcas, or Killer Whales, are very picky about their food… But if you teach them long enough, if they trust you enough… They’ll pretty much eat anything… Like live deer, chickens, hogs.”
“…Your wife” Me wife said and gasped, her hand in front of her mouth. She realized she just said something terribly stupid.
– “Oh, looks like my secret is out.” Jonah said calmly and reached under the seat.

Barry and I jumped up but before we were there he fired the harpoon straight through Barry’s pelvis, he screamed in gut wrenching pain and fell back. Before I knew it Jonah was swinging a sharp knife before my face, I backed up and tripped backwards over Ahab the dog who ran terrified.
“You see, Ahab doesn’t have the stomach to do this… …But I do.” Jonah growled. My wife sobbed and curled up her legs and arms to protect her belly.
– “Please, no! Wait!” I begged, Barry was rolling over the ground in pain. “Let me help my friend! We’ll get out of your way! I swear to God, please!”
Jonah shook his head,
“No… You know my secret now… Can’t take the risk, besides… I didn’t feed Morgan yet, she’s been swimming in the lake all night hoping for a treat… You’re her treat.”
– “You sick, fuck! You shot me! …goddamnit you shot me!” Barry cried out in despair.
“It’s going to get much worse than that. Believe me.” Jonah said almost gentle and undid his belt, “Give me your hands… You do anything stupid, I’ll throw this knife right into your wife’s belly… Two in one.”
I shivered in fear but realized that maybe if I cooperated he’d spare Maria and the baby. She sobbed uncontrollably and pleaded with me to do something.
– “Good lad, time to feed Morgan.” He said and slapped me so hard across the face I spat out a tooth or two. “Get up!” He yelled at all of us.

Reluctantly I stood up, as did my wife, Barry crawled across the floor half standing still impaled with the harpoon. He whimpered like a school girl, I could hardly blame him.
We stepped outside into the dark of the cold night as he directed us to his little boat, Ahab the dog cried and howled desperately, he didn’t like this.
Across the water I could hear the sound of a whale’s blowhole, I nearly wet myself in fear, Morgan was in the lake. Waiting for a tasty snack. Most likely to be me and Barry.
“Get in the boat!” He growled, my wife just barely managed to step in without falling and hurting herself. I jumped in after her and almost fell overboard without the use of my arms, Barry was pushed in by Jonah and wailed with agony.

Jonah started the boat and sailed to a part of the lake that apparently connected to the sea during high tide, the water smelled brackish and filthy. It was quiet. Too quiet.
Suddenly I heard a whale chirp, my wife screamed in fear, I let go of a short yell and Barry was too exhausted to respond at all.
“There’s my Morgan…” Jonah growled satisfied, “My sweet and gentle Morgan…”
– “Your sweet and gentle Morgan that eats people!?” I growled, spitting out some blood.
“Oh, don’t blame her! I trained her into this, if it was up to her she probably wouldn’t eat any people at all!” Jonah laughed demonically.
I made eye contact with my wife and bended forward to kiss her, perhaps for the last time, but I moved my mouth to her ear and whispered to her,
– “When I give you the signal, we jump him… I’ll try and headbud him overboard, you grab the knife…” I spoke softly and pulled back, I could see from her look that she was in terror but realized it was our only chance.

Barry started making noises, he was entering shock from blood loss, hardly aware of anything anymore.
“Looks like your friend is ready…” Jonah said calmly, tears were streaming down my face, Barry was dying and my best bet was to wait till Jonah was looking at the whale feasting on him. Good God, what kind of option was this?
– “Please, don’t do this!” My wife begged, holding onto his fisherman suit. “I’ll do anything! God, please! Don’t kill them!”

Jonah shook his head, grabbed Barry and sat him up straight, from the water rose a giant head. Algae from the surface of the lake covered its face, it seemed to be smiling with giant white teeth.
“There’s my wittle Morgan!” Jonah said in baby talk, Morgan let go of an almost ear deafening shriek, followed by a clicking. “Does my wittle Morgan want to eat? Yes, she does! Yes, she does! I got my pretty Morgan a special treat!”
– “No!” I yelled as he flipped over Barry into the water. He held onto the harpoon that slipped out of Barry with a bloody, slimy noise.
“Oh God!” My wife yelled.

With an enormous splash Morgan popped up and out of the water with Barry fully intact between her jaws. Before she hit the water surface again she slammed them shut. I could audibly hear Barry’s body crack between her teeth.
“Fuck! Nooo! Barry, nooo!” I cried out in despair, Jonah laughed loudly clearly satisfied.
Morgan swam towards the docks of the small island where Ahab stood barking, as if she was greeting him, but the dog ran off in terror as she crunched on Barry’s corpse some more.

I realized this was my moment. I jumped but slipped on Barry’s blood at the bottom of the boat, unfortunately my wife jumped up too and was easily caught by Jonah.
– “Oh? Conspiring are we?” He said to her with a smirk on his face. “That’s too bad, I was going to let you live a while longer…”
“Goddamnit! No!” I yelled in anger as he threw her into the water with a splash, I tried kicking him but a single kick in the gut from him incapacitated me. “You sick son of a bitch! Get her out of the water! Get her out of there!”
I heard something rushing through the water, I could see Morgan’s dorsal fin cutting through the surface of the lake towards us, I held my breath in fear. God please, anything but my beautiful wife and baby. I heard her scream and closed my eyes for a moment.
– “That’s right, Morgan! She’s two in one! A special dessert for my girl!”
My wife still screamed, the Killer Whale was right next to her and bumped her, as if she studying her. The anticipation of death only made it worse for my wife and I begged inside to God that if he really had to let her die, please make it quick.
“Please… I beg of you…” I said Jonah, he just looked at me, grinned and shook his head.
– “Please! Please! Get me out! My baby, please!” My wife begged as the Orca gave her gentle bumps and circled around.
“You people don’t even deserve a child…” Jonah growled and laughed as Morgan swam back a bit to make some speed towards my wife.
– “God! No!” I screamed, my wife yelled in fear as the water splashed up as the Killer Whale came in full speed through the shallow water.

Then it happened. I was covered in a huge wave of disgusting, smelly water. The boat shook and rumbled, I heard my wife’s terrifying screams. I opened my eyes. Jonah was gone.
“Morgan, nooo!” I heard him scream as the Orca pulled him down under the water.
– “Maria! Get in! Swim, baby! Swim!” I yelled at her, my arms still tied. I couldn’t possibly help her. “Do it! Do it for the baby!”
The boat was slowly floating away from the waves that had struck us, away from her.
“Jay! Help me! Help me, please!” She cried, a bump against the boat. The Killer Whale again.
– “Come on, baby! We can do this!” I yelled, Morgan’s bump against the boat made the boat twirl back towards her.
I heard a splash behind my wife and from a distance could see the tip of the Orca’s dorsal fin peep out above the surface again. She was coming up from behind my wife while I devastatingly slowly floated towards her as well. Unable to do a thing.
“Oh God!” My wife screamed as she could feel and hear the waves behind her. “I love you!” She screamed.

I gasped, with a gentle push Morgan pressed her up out of the water and let go off of a noise, my wife shrieked but kept quiet as it let go of her right next to the boat. A fountain from the Orca’s blowhole sprayed us both wet.
“What is she doing!?” My wife cried, trying to pull herself in.
– “I don’t know! Maybe she’s playing with us! I’ve seen them do that on TV, but this could be our chance!” I said and reached my legs overboard so she could grab them. “Come on, baby! You can do it!”
My wife tried to pull herself in as hard as she could, but she was getting cold and I had no means of helping her. The whale was right behind her, sticking its head out of the water and peeking right at me, I feared it would bite her in half any moment now.
Morgan let go of clicking sounds, they seemed structured and orderly, as if she trying to communicate. I froze as she approached again and with a big bump of the head touched my wife.
“Oh my God!” Maria gasped, the bump pushed her up and towards the boat. I managed to grab her with my legs and rolled her in.
– “Are you okay!? Is the baby okay!?” I yelled, “Cut me loose!”
“I think so! I think I’m okay!” She said shivering and shaking, picking up the knife Jonah had dropped.
– “What the fuck is going on!? Is this all real!? Is this a nightmare!?” I yelled into the cold night air as she cut me loose. The whale bobbed its head up and down in the water, much like any dolphin would do.
“I think she understood!” My wife said as she removed the belt from my hands. She brushed away a tear “She understood I had a baby… I could feel her snout touching it.”
– “Fuck… Really?” I muttered and got close to the edge of the boat, the Killer Whale opened its mouth as if smiling. And swam close.
“Lets ask her…” My wife replied.
– “Ask her!? …Alright.” I said startled. “Morgan, come here…” I spoke with trembling voice. The Orca swam close to the boat.
“See!?” My wife said self-righteous.
– “…You understood, didn’t you Morgan?” I said and gently touched the creature on the snout. It made clicking noises and smiled.
“What do we do?” She asked me as I pet the whale in awe.
– “We leave her alone… She’ll swim back to the ocean soon enough.” I reasoned, “We’ll get the police and tell them Jonah tried to attack us on his boat… That we had a struggle and that he killed Barry and fell into water and got swept away with the current back into the sea…”
“Okay, you’re right.” She said and hugged me, as she did I could feel the baby kick through her belly against my back.
– “Oh, crap! Lets get you ashore! Get you warm!” I reasoned.
“Yes! But just wait one moment!” She said and reached out the Orca as it blew another fountain with its blowhole. “Bye Morgan… Thank you… You redeemed yourself.”

The whale let go off of a sharp shriek and slowly began making way to what must have been the opening towards the open sea, I started the little boat’s engine and steered back to shore where Ahab stood waiting. He seemed relieved.
I smiled through my tears, I couldn’t believe what happened to Barry, what almost happened to us and brought my wife, the baby and the dog inside. We warmed up for a few hours till we saw the lake emptying as the tide went away, I found some fuel next to the generator of the house and filled up the car. We brought the dog with us to the nearest police station.
We told our more “plausible” story, they had always felt Jonah was an odd guy, he was suspected of the murder of his wife. She had an abortion and just “disappeared” without a trace. They suggested we give the dog to the animal shelter, but being an old dog he’d probably get euthanized real soon. So we kept him.

It’s been two years  now, since all that happened, and our little girl was born less than three weeks after. We called her Morgan.
Her favorite stuffed animal is one of a Killer Whale, she won’t sleep five minutes without it, we have five of them in the closet should she ever lose one. Her stuffed animal is her savior, protecting her against scary things in the night – always by her side. Morgan, the killer whale, was our savior too. I hope she’s out on the ocean permanently now. I hope she’s happy.
Like my wife said, she redeemed herself, as I suppose did Barry when he tried to help us with reckless disregard of his own safety. His in-laws now regret the way they acted towards him, they deserve the guilt. And Ahab? He’s perfectly happy with us, but he stays far away from Morgan’s Killer Whale toy.