h
     
    
   
   
    
     
      His
      mouth
      a
      grimace
      as
      slit
      as
      the
      belly
     
     
      of
      his
      first
      catch,
      his
      Grandfather
     
     
      _
      peeling
      back
      the
      sequin
      skin
     
     
      _
      with
      the
      blade
      of
      his
      knife,
      laying
      open
     
     
      the
      heart
      beating,
      the
      body
      dead
     
     
      observe,
      he
      said,
      it
      pumps
      the
      soul
      free
     
     
      and
      he
      lanced
      it,
      placed
      the
      heart,
      alive
     
     
      in
      the
      palm
      of
      his
      hand
     
     
      this,
      he
      said,
      is
      what
      happens
     
     
      when
      you
      die,
      and
      he
      baited
      his
      hook,
     
     
      dropped
      his
      line
     
     
      into
      the
      water
     
     
      the
      boy
      peered
      through
      his
      won
      face
     
     
      bending
      and
      glaring
      on
      the
      waves
     
     
      _as
      he
      waited
      for
      the
      silver
      flash
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      fish
      in
      the
      murky
      :
     
     
      underworld
      ae?
     
     
      you
      see,
      his
      grandfather
      said
     
     
      giving
      the
      rod
      a
      good
      tug
     
    
   
   
    
     
      on
      what
      he
      thought
      was
      a
      bite
     
    

    
     
      this
      way
      we
      do
      not
      die
      _
      a
      :
     
    

    
     
      _
      in
      vain
     
     
      Charles
      Gregory
     
    
   
   
    
     
      aR
      epee