The Floaters
written by: Michael McCarthy
It was the early hours and my door bell was ringing insistently, then there was a pounding on the front door and somebody was yelling my name, ‘Siobhan, Siobhan.’
I wasn’t sure if I’d been asleep or not. I’d managed to tune out the unearthly howls from the street for a while as well as the barking and miaowing from the growing number of abandoned and now doomed pets, which underlined the fact that I hadn’t even heard or seen a bird since this started. I had my doubts that anybody could sleep soundly the way things were going. I staggered to the door and looked through the peephole, expecting some mad man. I hadn’t reckoned on it being my most recent ex, Bob. At least not yet.
I opened the door, any other action would have been pointless. Now, I think it was fair to say, that at that moment, it was pretty obvious that everybody was going to need all the friends they could get.
Bob looked exhausted, unshaven, hair sticking up all over and his clothes were dirty and creased. He was carrying a large, battered, bulging, stained rucksack and he stank of, among other things, body odor, but the predominant stench was alcohol laced with nicotine. He leaned over to kiss me, and it was all I could do not to recoil.
‘It doesn’t look good out there, but I just had to take my chances. I thought if the worst is going to happen I’d…..’
He whispered.
‘Rather be with Siobhan.’ I interrupted.
‘I was……..’
‘You were only thinking about Siobhan.’
‘Of course…..’
‘You were.’
He slumped back against the door.
‘Sorry.’
He was. I believed him. He was like a small child abandoned by his parents. He went to where he knew he’d be safe, at least for a while. He knew I’d take him in.
After a moment he said, ‘I know it’s stupid to say this but, your hair’s too long, you’re pale, and your cheek bones are even more pronounced than usual, but it does give you a certain jaded intellectual air.’
That was the nearest Bob had ever come to a compliment.
Before I could respond we heard a siren blaring outside.
He jumped.
But it was a reassuring sound, one of the rare, police armored vehicle patrols. We hadn’t heard one of those for a while.
‘Where have you been? You look and smell awful.’ I asked.
‘On the street, in abandoned cars or in dustbins.’
‘What’s it like out there?’
‘Where to begin? When it started, there was a constant stream of vehicles of all types racing to go…..I don’t know where.’
‘Where could they go? It’s not confined to one place, is it?’
‘No. Even the looters are afraid to…..loot, most of them, anyway. For the last week or so there have been gangs of frustrated youths, desperate to give vent to their pent up aggressions roaming the streets. It’s like a war zone in places. But the real danger is the enemy you can’t see, until it’s too late.’
‘How are you, Bob? Really.’
‘Bloody terrified. What about you?’
‘Somehow, it just hasn’t really hit me yet. I mean, I haven’t been outside since this whole thing started. It’s been over two weeks now and I miss the fresh air. Anyway, does anybody actually know how many of them there are?’
‘Not as far as I know. Somebody said, you can’t count them, they’re black forms varying in size from a child’s hand to a man’s hand; they’re shapeless, like floaters, hence the name.’
‘So, we don’t know if we outnumber them, for want of a better word? It seems to me that we’ve sealed our fate through mass panic.’
‘You always could keep a clear head in a drama. But that seems to be a growing feeling, from what I picked up out there.’
‘What about the supermarkets?’
‘Apparently, they’re trying to stay open with private security, limited hours, letting customers in and out individually etc. It seems the Floaters are just obliterating their victims on the streets.’
‘You actually spoke to people, then?’
‘A few. Do you mind if I smoke, by the way?’
‘Yes, I do mind. The smell is sickening. When did you start that again?’
‘Last week.’
‘Give it up! Anyway, what are people saying?’
‘The natives are getting restless, some are even clamoring for flame throwers and water cannons after our government’s first pathetic response with rockets and bullets. The government now says, they’re trying to find a way to destroy the Floaters without destroying everybody else.’
‘But what exactly happens to the people they…..attack?’
‘Nobody knows exactly, they’re just not there anymore, maybe they disintegrate or something. Anyway, the other day, literally seconds before our internet connection crashed, for the millionth time, there was an interview on the radio, some guy was talking about what he’d seen. He said, well, these Floaters just appeared and seemed to envelop his friend and then he was gone. He saw his friend just disappear before his eyes and he swears the Floaters made some strange kind of baying sound, but his friend was completely silent, no screams or cries for help.
‘All that was left,’ he said, ‘were his torn clothes, a watch, a ring, a belt buckle, some coins and the fillings from his teeth. He uploaded a photo of his friend’s remains.’
‘I missed the photo but I’ve heard the sounds. My neighbor said that the Floaters are the result of some gigantic chain of errors in a laboratory somewhere.’
‘Not that old chestnut. But I suppose, it’s no worse than the avalanche of alien abduction theories.’
‘True, then where do they come from?’
‘Who knows? Who the hell cares? Just one cigarette. Please.’
‘No.’
‘I’ll lean out of the window.’
‘Bob. Drop it.’
Looking at his crestfallen face and body language it was hard to believe that this was the person who had come into my life a year ago. At the time a former and then committed non-smoker, by the way.
I was a very attractive woman, self-confident and successful. Those weren’t my words, that’s what friends said about me. But I was getting desperate to find Mr. Right, not because of the current situation, but because I’d been waiting forever.
I’d only wanted to meet a nice, quiet, reliable guy. That was all. The problem was, guys like that were put off by my aura, they thought they had no chance. If only they knew. I only attracted men like my exhausted and defeated ex, now sliding down the door like some cartoon character.
He used to be a sharp dresser, well groomed, narcissistic. His type thought they had to tame me. Why? Dominate me. Why? They regarded me as a trophy, a notch on the bed post to boast about.
In my opinion, bed posts were safe for the foreseeable future.
He was actually asleep. I could’t believe it. Then again, it was probably the booze.
He’d always been a heavy drinker, at the first sign of a problem he’d grab the bottle.
But I hadn’t realized that for quite a while. Maybe he wasn’t such a big hero after all. That’s probably why he acted it. Maybe the real him was one of those types I yearned for.
Then again, the real ones don’t play a role.
I went to look out of my front room window. I kept all my lights off. Thankfully, we still had power, but the word was, not for much longer, so the street lights were on. I couldn’t see the Floaters but I knew they were out there. My neighbor said somebody told her, as long as we didn’t provoke them, they’d leave us in peace. Yeah sure. I could feel, hour after hour, a noose was tightening around us. I could sometimes, more often now, hear the yelling of neighbors directed at each other and their kids; in some cases you just knew the lid was about to blow off, if it hadn’t already.
Bob began snoring, loudly.
I kicked him. Once wasn’t enough, so I repeatedly kicked him until he came to. I enjoyed that.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Trying to wake you up.’
‘What’s the point?’
‘You need a shower and some coffee. By the way, I hope you’ve got some clean clothes in that bag.’
‘Yes. I’ve been saving them.’
‘So, go and shower. And no smoking.’
‘O.K. O.K.’
‘It might even be your last chance, seeing as how we haven’t had a drop of rain since the Floaters appeared on the scene.’
‘Don’t tell me that’s down to the Floaters?’
‘Who knows?’
He sighed heavily and headed for the bathroom while I prepared coffee and sandwiches, the fear growing in me.
‘That’s better.’ He announced, coming out of the bathroom, shaved and cleanly dressed.
‘You can say that again.’ He still didn’t really look like the Bob I used to know, although his black hair was now floppy and shining, but he slumped as he walked and sat while the Bob of old had had a sporty and dynamic air about him.
We sat at the kitchen table while we ate.
Every now and again, we heard the howling sound of the Floaters, as they claimed another victim; it had now become part of the soundtrack to our lives.
Bob put his hand over mine and squeezed gently. It was enough.
‘Let me run something past you.’ He said.
‘Go on.’
‘Remember the pandemic?’
‘How could I forget it?’
‘There are so many things about this ……invasion, that I don’t understand. But the most puzzling is, just how much does the government know about the Floaters and when did they find out? Why have the police and armed forces withdrawn? Some of them anyway and nobody’s even mentioned the word lockdown.’
‘Good questions. The hospitals are open, with restrictions, and the fire service is still answering calls as best they can, according to my neighbor.’
‘Your neighbor got it mostly right; the managers have fled, some key personnel from the hospitals and the fire services also appear to have got the hell out; there’s growing unrest in prisons and extreme difficulties are being faced by those reliant on Social Services. The government told us they’d learned a lot from the pandemic and the country would be prepared for any future catastrophes.’
‘They’ve been caught out.’
‘I disagree. They did learn and, like most governments, I’m sure they’ve taken all the right steps…….’
He looked at me, he was alert and calm and he seemed to have worked something out.
‘What are you thinking?’ I asked him.
‘They’ve certainly taken all the right steps, but for a select group, themselves. Whatever is going on, they know we’re all in the shit, they can’t save everybody. So they’ll save themselves. The word is, after the first few days they went into their bunkers, there are supposed to be miles of them at various secret locations. But they wouldn’t confirm or deny it. Of course they said they were gathering for a meeting at a secure location. It’s been a bloody long meeting.’
‘I never really thought of that. And the police and armed forces are guarding them? It sounds convincing. What do we do then?’
‘Keep surviving.’
‘Those announcements through loudspeakers telling us to stay in our homes and keep doors and windows closed, and that they’d keep us posted on the situation? We’re still waiting.’
We went into the front room and sank into the armchairs.
‘I take it this is happening all over the world?’
‘I don’t know, maybe it’s something to do with us living on an island. Anyway, it’s almost impossible to access sites outside our country and you can forget about phoning.’
‘I know, I’ve tried a thousand times.’
‘A guy I know, he’s quite high up in the Civil Service, reckons that all ports have been closed. What good will that do? I don’t think they travel by boat or plane or whatever.’
We looked at each other, the dread emanating from both of us.
‘If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s be prepared. I’ve got a good stock of food and stuff here and a few neighbors have as well.’ I said.
‘Don’t broadcast it. Oh, and the Royal Family have left the capital and are ensconced in one of their properties, although they’re not revealing which one.’
‘Good luck to them.’
Then we must have dozed off.
I woke up to see a determined looking Bob staring intently at me and fidgeting with a cigarette.
‘No. I’m not going to smoke. I just need something to do with my hands.’
‘I understand. When people disappear, I wonder do they become Floaters or do they serve as sustenance for them?’
‘We’ll probably never know. Somebody on the street said to me that it almost seems as though the Floaters are dropped into places in multitudes, as if something is controlling them. They seem to skulk in the shadows waiting for victims.’
‘If so, where do they come from? Where are they, when they’re not here? And….’
‘They’re totally unpredictable.’
I had the TV on mute during the day until something of interest came on. Nothing did until during my conversation with Bob.
The white letters ‘Newsflash’ on a red background filled my screen and I pressed the remote. A monotone male voice spoke,
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, an urgent message from the government follows. Please pay close attention’.
We expected to hear the plummy, bombastic tones of our leader, she usually couldn’t resist taking the credit for the few good things her government had achieved or spinning the bad. Instead we heard a male, estuary English accent: ‘As you know the government has been moved to a secure location. This was necessary to discuss the situation and our reaction to the Floaters’ attacks with experts. After further detailed discussions we will shortly be launching a large scale attack. We will warn you in advance. Please ensure you are in a safe place and keep all windows and doors closed and sealed.’
We looked at each other and both said the words, ‘Sealed?’
‘Makes sense. I suppose. That means they are gaining entry to buildings.’
‘You can’t make anything Floaters’ proof. Believe me. Anyway, back in the real world. I’ve also been thinking, we’ve got to make contact with other people, strength in numbers and unity and all that.’
‘How?’
‘By looking for them.’
‘Bob…’
‘Listen, before you say anything. I’ll go and see what I can do. Anyway, it’s quiet out there now.’
‘Please don’t, Bob. Just because it’s quiet at the moment means nothing.’
‘I need to. It’s….necessary. Anyway, as I say, there’s nothing going on.’
‘You’re a very brave man, Bob. But I’d prefer it, if you stayed.’
‘I want to do this for you.’
My eyes filled with tears. I finally realized how terrified I was.
I studied his face. He looked serious and scared. He’d always put himself first. But something like this obviously changed people.
I kissed him softly on the forehead.
‘Don’t stay out there too long.’
I went to the window just as the automatic porch light went on. Then I saw him, lighting a cigarette and looking around.
‘Watch out for the Floaters, Bob.’ I whispered.
Then he went down the steps into the shadows and never came out again.
We never heard anymore from our government.
Slowly, my fellow tenants and I began carefully opening our flat doors, we’d sealed the street and back entrances as best we could, to converse with each other and hopefully find out more about the situation, the consensus was we’d been abandoned, the elite was hell bent on saving themselves.
Somebody said, they’d heard, that the Floaters were gathering, very slowly, in huge clouds above built up areas, probably before blanketing the entire country.
After a couple more days of almost paralyzing tension and fear I awoke, I’d actually had a good sleep, to a near black sky, there was a huge blanket of Floaters just hovering over the city. I glanced at my phone, it was 9 a.m.
Then I heard a raucous round of ululating. But that was all I did hear.
I covered my ears and closed my eyes and thought about Bob, how I shouldn’t have stopped him smoking and in fact should have taken a drag on his cigarette.
What possible harm could it have done?
I opened my eyes again, the outside wailing had abated and in the darkened room, I could detect the presence of Floaters coming together on the ceiling like a black undulating blanket amid a slow building yowling. I pulled the duvet over my head and waited.
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