Ark

Noah knew he lived in a time of moral decay. He could see it all around him. He never brought it up in public or even with his family (he feared the confrontation), but it disturbed him nonetheless. He saw depravity everywhere he looked. People were turning away from God. Prostitutes, thieves and murderers were frighteningly common in the town in which Noah lived. Noah resorted to praying alone in his room because his local temple was corrupt and its parishioners were only compelled to attend by their sense of self-righteousness. Those who went to church only did it out of concern out of fear of God and some only went to hold it above those who didn’t.

Noah saw the immorality of the world around him was beginning to infect his family. He worked hard to keep his wife and four children faithful, but it was growing increasingly difficult. His wife was more concerned with her friends than with God. He could do little but watch as his two oldest sons, Shem and Ham, refused to accept the responsibility of their age and settle down with an honorable wife. Though he had tried hard to influence him, he saw that his third son Japheth was following his brothers’ example instead. Their sexual exploits were well known across the town, if not uncommon. His youngest son, Arpachshad (whom everyone called Arpach), was taking his first timid steps into manhood. Noah had tried to steer him down the right path, but Arpach seemed reluctant to start down any path at all and Noah had all but given up his work on him. Most evenings, Noah withdrew to his room and read scripture alone.

Noah worried about those around him, especially his family, but he felt powerless. All he could do was pray for their souls.

___

Noah burst into the kitchen panting. His family looked up from their dinner, mildly curious as to what had put the usually even-tempered man into such a frenzy. He leaned against a chair and collected himself for several seconds. Ham lost interest and went back to his dinner.

Finally, Noah summoned the power to speak. “I spoke to God.”

His wife Magdalena rolled her eyes. “You need more sleep,” she said.

“No, it’s true!” Noah insisted. “I did! I really did! I was working out in the yard and I felt like I was being overtaken by a force of pure power and goodness. And I heard a voice, God’s voice, and he told me he was displeased with humanity and he was going to wipe all life off the face of the earth, but he saw that I was loyal so he decided to forewarn me. I’m to build an ark to survive the flood.”

The family looked at each other. Finally, Magdalena spoke.

“You are such an egomaniac.”

Noah stared at her, mouth agape.

“What?”

“What? Are you kidding me? Listen to yourself, you’re telling us you heard a voice that told you that you were the only worthwhile soul in all of creation? Give me a break. Sit down. Your dinner’s getting cold.”

Noah shook his head, unable to understand his family’s skepticism. “I’m just telling you what he told me, all right? And he told me that he was going to flood the earth and extinguish all life. That’s just--that’s just what he said.”

“Well enjoy your eternity alone,” Magdalena shot back. “I hope your self-satisfaction keeps you company.”

“He said that he would let my family survive as well. So you and Shem and Ham and Japheth and Arpach can all come and bring some decent women. Well not you, but the boys,” he clarified. “You have to marry them first, but that should be no problem I assume.”

Shem, Ham, and Japheth looked at each other skeptically. Arpach looked down at his dinner nervously.

“Can I bring Sandy?” Magdalena asked.

“No you can’t bring Sandy.”

“What do you mean no?”

“God said it was only to be us.”

“Well I’m not going if Sandy can’t come. And Caroline and Linda and Jeannie.”

“What do you mean you’re not going?”

“I mean exactly what I’m saying. I’m not going.”

“You have to go! Otherwise you’ll drown.”

“A life without Sandy is not worth living,” Magdalena insisted dramatically.

Noah began to lose his temper. “Sandy is nothing but a sleazy gossip and the same goes for the rest of them. You have an obligation to God. Are you going to die--die Magdalena--die for a bunch of sleazy gossips instead of coming on the ark and surviving?”

“Yes,” she said without hesitation.

Noah stared at her. Magdalena glared back at him, not giving an inch. Noah sighed.

“We’ll talk about this later,” he said.

___

Arpach stood outside of the library as he did every afternoon he could. He played with his hands and kept his head down. He didn’t have to wait long until Anna strode out of the library and turned down the street towards him, loaded down with books. Normally, Arpach would watch her pass from a well-hidden spot on the side of the road or shuffle off in one direction or another without looking. When he was particularly daring, he would attempt to make eye-contact, a tactic that rarely worked as on the rare occasions where she did look up at him, one of them normally averted their eyes in embarrassment. But today was different.

Arpach walked down the center of the street towards Anna. Just before she passed him, he pretended to be distracted by something on the side of the road. He took a step towards her and bumped into her. His intention was only to knock the books out of her hand, but he took too large a step and knocked her down. His cheeks flushed and he helped her to her feet, apologizing profusely.

“That’s OK, I’m fine, thank you,” she insisted, struggling to collect herself.

“No, no, let me help you,” Arpach said. He picked up her books. Arpach was flustered by his mistake. He lost his grip on the situation he had been trying to plan for days. He was sure he sounded rehearsed, and if Anna had been listening for it, she most likely would have noticed. As it was, she was almost as embarrassed of Arpach.

“Here let me--let me help you with these books,” Arpach said. “I’ll walk you home.”

“Oh, well is it on your way?”

A shiver stabbed through Arpach’s chest. “Well which way is it?”

“It’s just a little down the road this way.”

“Great, that’s where I’m going.”

“But you were walking this way when you--when I bumped into you.”

Arpach swallowed. In all his preparation, he had not planned for this. “Yes, I just got a little lost. But really, I’m trying to go this way. Here, I can carry these.”

Anna agreed.

___

“So what’s your name?” Anna finally asked to break the silence that had lasted twenty steps down the road.

“My name is Arpachshad.”

“Ar--”

“Heh, yeah, you can just call me Arpach.” He laughed uneasily. “I hate my name.”

“No, it’s a nice name.”

“Oh, well thank you.”

Neither said anything. Arpach was hopelessly off script and it took him a second to remember what one should say next. “What’s yours?”

“Oh, I’m Anna. Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, very nice to meet you,” Arpach said. “So how long have you lived here?”

“Oh, all my life. I grew up in this house--well the house we’re going to.”

“Right,” Arpach chuckled. It was a silly question. Almost everyone who lived in their small town had been born there.

“And you?”

“Oh, same with me. Well I live a few miles that way,” Arpach said, struggling to gesture in the direction of his house without losing his grips on the books.

“Oh, by the creek?”

“Yes.”

“It’s so nice down there. I love to sit by there and read.”

“Do you?” Arpach cursed himself for saying something so stupid, as if she could be lying or wanted to reconsider.

“I’m down there all the time,” Anna said.

Arpach took a deep breath. He wanted to turn and run; to shut himself in his room and relive every second of what had just happened, praise himself for his bravery, curse himself for his mistakes, and despise himself for running. He remembered his father’s words and thought of the flood. He inhaled.

“You should drop by sometime. I love reading by the creek as well.” As well. Who says as well?

“Sure. Where can I find you?”

___

Arpach tried to keep his composure as he walked down the road away from Anna’s house. He couldn’t contain himself and bounded down the street with a grin across his face. If Anna had seen him walking away, she would have thought there was something wrong, or at least odd about him. He considered this but his excitement overcame his anxiety.

He returned home quickly and full of energy. He saw his father in the yard standing with a blueprint in his hand directing Arpach’s brothers around the yard. They were stacking huge piles of wood all over the place. They looked tired and frustrated with their father.

“Arpach, finally, you’re home. Help your brothers,” Noah said.

“Sure thing,” Arpach beamed. He started grabbing wood and followed his brothers. They glared at him, upset that he was just showing up after they had been toiling all morning.

“Hey Pops, when are we done out here?” Shem called, leaning against one of the piles taking a break.

“We’ll need to be working on the ark all day every day for some time.”

“But we have jobs!”

“Well this is far more important. When we finish our work, your jobs won’t exist anymore. This is God’s work. It’s your new priority.”

“But what if you’re just a crazy old quack who didn’t have a vision?” Ham said. Noah grunted and went back to his blueprints. His sons returned to stacking the wood.

“What are you grinning at?” Shem asked Arpach.

“Nothing, nothing,” he said, convincing no one.

“Shut up, Mopey,” Ham said. “Just tell us what’s up. You finally get a girl to look at you?” Arpach just chuckled to himself.

“Hey, I think that’s what it is,” said Shem. “Nice work, little guy. Who is it?”

“Never mind, never mind,” Arpach grinned. “We have work to do, right?”

“Yeah, how would you know, you just waltzed in here five minutes ago,” Shem grunted. “We’ve been working all morning.”

“Look at this goon,” Ham said. “He talks to one girl and he’s on cloud fucking nine. You know for some of us, it’s not such an accomplishment anymore. The more you smile the more pathetic you look.”

Arpach kept smiling. Meanwhile, Magdalena finally came out of the house (she had been ignoring Noah and the production of the ark since he told her that her friends couldn’t come) and looked over Noah’s shoulder at the blueprint. She pointed at the plans.

“What are these?” she asked.

“Those are the cages.”

“Cages? For what?”

“We’re to collect two of every animal to save on the ark to save the animals as well.”

Magdalena glared at Noah. “Are you kidding me?”

“No. This is what God said to do.”

“We’re bringing the cows and the mice and the rats and the jaguars and we don’t have room for Sandy?”

Noah sighed and rolled his eyes. “Look, we’ve been over this. God said--”

“I don’t care what God said! Are you God’s little lapdog on earth? These people are going to drown and you’re telling me you have to build accommodations for the elephants?” Magdalena stomped back into the house before Noah had a chance to answer. He shook his head, upset his wife couldn’t see the importance of God’s declaration and accept His will for what it was.

Meanwhile, Shem and Ham sat on the side of the yard, insisting Arpach made up for the work he had missed that morning. Japheth continued to work, but only half-heartedly. Finally, he saw his two older brothers laughing and relaxing and joined them in the shade. Arpach worked on, oblivious. In his mind, he relived the morning over and over again. He wondered when she would visit and tried to pinpoint her thoughts every second of their conversation. He already knew what their next meeting would be like.

She would knock on the door and his father would answer. He’d look a little surprised naturally and would call Arpach to the door. He’d be careful to not run and would get there book in hand with a subtle smile on his face. They’d walk down to the creek and get to know each other and they’d be on the same page at the end of the day as they had been when they started talking. She would say something self-deprecating and Arpach would come back and insist she was wrong to say it, but a little forcefully, so that they both would notice. They would look down sheepishly, laugh nervously, and she would inch towards him and put his hand in hers. They would look each other in the eyes and then--well Arpach didn’t know where it would go after that, but he didn’t care either. He felt it would spoil the purity of the moment in his mind to imagine what would come next, even if it were nothing more than that. That look, that moment was all he needed.

___

“Why isn’t Mom cooking anymore?” Japheth asked, choking down another one of his father’s terrible meals with his brothers.

“Your mother is neglecting her duties as a wife and mother, unfortunately, because she is upset her friends cannot come on the ark,” Noah said.

“She hasn’t neglected all her duties as a wife and mother,” said Ham. “She’s still nagging as much as ever.”

“There’s no need for that,” Noah scolded.

Magdalena walked into the kitchen and stared at her family with her arms crossed and a stern looked on her face. She stood silently for a couple seconds until she was sure she had her family’s undivided attention. “OK, come in,” she said.

Sandy walked through the kitchen door. She stood next to Magdalena and struck the same indignant pose.

Noah’s sons stared up at their father. He looked down at them, then back at Sandy.

“Good morning, Sandy,” he finally said. “You’re looking lovely. Did you--”

“You’re just going to fucking let me drown Noah?”

Ham burst out laughing. Shem tried hiding his laughter in his napkin under the table. Japheth turned pale and Arpach remained basically unaffected.

“Please, Sandy, I would appreciate it if you didn’t use that kind of language in this household.”

“Look, Noah, you can get all fucking preachy with me about language when you let me on the goddamn boat.”

Noah lost his patience. “Well, Sandy, did you ever think it’s that kind of language that makes the Lord so angry? Maybe that’s why he came to me instead of you, did you think of that?”

“Nobody’s perfect, Noah,” Magdalena said sternly. “Sandy has a good heart and she doesn’t deserve to drown while you build little cages for rats and dogs.”

“If you have a problem, then take it up with God.” There was a knock at the door. Arpach perked up, jumping in his chair. “I’m just following orders,” Noah said, moving towards the door. He opened it. It was Anna, cradling a well-worn book.

“Hi, does Arpach live here?”

Arpach grabbed his book from underneath his chair and glided towards the door. His brothers looked at him with their mouths hanging open. Noah looked back into the kitchen only to see Arpach already striding towards the door.

“Bye, Dad,” Arpach said, joining Anna in the front yard.

“Have fun, you two,” Noah said, visibly surprised.

Noah walked back into the kitchen, scratching his beard. Even Magdalena had softened in surprise. Sandy looked at her upset she had taken the pressure off her husband. Arpach’s brothers just looked at each other. Finally, Shem broke the silence.

“How the fuck did he land her?”

___

They met almost every day for weeks. Arpach would sit in the kitchen or the living room with his book by his side and wait for her visit, jumping at every sound, fastening his eyes on the door to see if she had come. Sometimes he would go into town and find into her and they would eat lunch together. Not every meeting was good. Sometimes they had little to say to each other and Arpach was eaten up by insecurities. But the good days outnumbered the bad and every time Anna came out of her way to visit him to read by the creek, his confidence grew. They would have easy, free-flowing conversations about frivolous things, but Arpach enjoyed every second of them. He didn’t think it would be easy, but he felt that when the time would come, he would have the courage to ask her to join him in the ark.

___

“Family meeting.” Noah called his family into the kitchen. He found Ham kissing his new girlfriend Trisha on the couch in the living room. He looked away and called Ham into the kitchen with the rest.

The family sat around the table, except for Magdalena who stood in the corner with her arms crossed. Trisha took a seat in Ham’s lap.

“I’m sorry, miss, but this is a family-only meeting,” Noah said to her. “Could you please go into the living room?”

“She’s family,” Ham said. “She’s going to marry me.”

Noah closed his eyes trying to hide his disappointment and disgust. “That’s very nice,” he said, “but I’m afraid this meeting is only open to my sons and my wife. Thank you for understanding.”

Trisha rolled her eyes and whispered something to Ham. He smiled up at her and whispered something back, then licked her ear. Noah had to look away as Trisha giggled with pleasure and hurried into the living room.

“What’s this about?” Shem asked.

“Well today Linda came up to me and told me she wanted a place on the ark and was upset that I was taking animals rather than her.”

“That’s not all she had to say,” said Magdalena.

“This is true, she also cursed more than I needed to hear. But the point is we cannot tell anyone about the flood or the ark. This is between me, God, and the rest of you.”

“Well what about Trisha?” Ham asked.

“No. We can tell your wives when we have to. Until that time, this is strictly confidential information. No one outside of this room can know.”

“Well how is Arpach supposed to get a wife if he can’t say that her only other option is death?” Ham said. Arpach chuckled with his brothers, which took all the fun out of it for Shem and Ham.

“Absolutely no one can know. Is this clear?”

Noah’s sons grunted affirmations. Noah looked behind him at his wife. She stared at him defiantly. He glared right back at her.

“All right. Fine,” she said.

“Thank you.”

___

“I’m just messed up,” Anna said.

“No. Now I just can’t believe that,” said Arpach.

“I am, though. I really am.”

Arpach and Anna sat under a tree with their books, listening to the gentle trickle of the creek. They talked for hours as the sun fell behind Anna’s back, orange and red streaming around her.

“How are you messed up? I can’t imagine why you would think that.”

“Ugh, I just am,” she said. “Whenever I like a guy I’m so mean to him. Because I don’t know how to deal with it, I guess. So I drive them away when I’m interested in them because I’m just so mean.”

“I’ve never seen you be anything but nice to anyone,” Arpach said. It was true. Somewhere deep in the back of this mind, in a place his consciousness didn’t reach, he contemplated what this meant.

Anna smiled broadly at him. “You’re so sweet,” she blushed.

“Well hey, it’s true,” he said.

“I can truly say the same thing about you,” Anna said.

“Well thank you,” he answered. “That’s nice to hear.” This is the moment Arpach had imagined. But it passed. They spoke of other things until the moon peeked over the hills and reflected on the creek.

“I’d better get going,” Anna said. “My family will wonder where I am.”

“I’ll walk you home.”

___

Rain began to pour from the sky. By the time Arpach walked Anna to her front door, they were both drenched. They were relieved to find shelter from the elements under the awning of her porch.

“Thanks for walking me home,” Anna said.

“Any time,” Arpach smiled.

“Is the rain any better?”

Arpach turned around. “No,” he said. “If anything, it’s worse.” He paused. “Oh well, I can run fast.”

“No, don’t go.” Arpach looked up at Anna, taken off guard by her firmness. “I’ll sit on the porch with you until the rain stops.”

Arpach agreed to stay.

___

He didn’t want the rain to end. He wished this could be the flood, and these could be his last moments, with Anna on the porch.

“Do you know Daniel?” Anna asked. Arpach tried to place the name.

“No, it doesn’t sound familiar. I don’t think I know any Daniels. Why?”

“Oh. Well he’s just this boy--this sounds stupid, but I met him three days ago and I think I’m in love with him.” Arpach silently choked on the air in his throat. “I mean I’ve only spoken to him once, but I just--I just have that feeling, you know?” Arpach nodded. “I haven’t seen him since I met him, though. I’m afraid I scared him off though. I just made a fool of myself and I think I was mean to him.”

Arpach nodded again. He couldn’t look at her face.

“So what do you think?”

Arpach looked at her with wide, glassy eyes. “I think the rain’s stopping,” he said after he paused to regain his voice. “I’d better get home.”

He said goodbye and left her on the porch, trudging home through the downpour.

___

“Hey, Noah.”

“Hello, Thomas.” Thomas and Noah had been neighbors for years. Thomas was a few years older than Shem was and Noah resented Thomas’s lack of respect for Noah and others his age.

“What are you doing back here?” Thomas asked.

“Oh, nothing important.”

Thomas, squinting at the giant boat sitting on cinderblocks being built in Noah’s backyard, was unconvinced.

“I think we’re a cubit or two short, Dad,” Shem called from the deck.

“Well then build it a cubit or two higher.”

“Who fucking cares?” Ham shouted from out of sight. “It’s close enough!”

“God cares, that’s who.”

“It looks like a boat,” Thomas interjected, more puzzled than ever.

“And don’t curse!” Noah shouted at Ham. “Excuse me?” he said, turning to Thomas.

“I said it looks like you’re building a boat.” Noah looked up at the ark, examining it as if he wasn’t sure what it was he was building.

“Yes. Yes, that’s what it is.”

“Do you mind if I ask why you’re building a--giant boat?”

“I just wanted a boat.”

“Uh huh. Well that’s nice, but where are you going to take it? I mean we’re miles and miles from the ocean--”

“We’re just going to take it down the creek.” Thomas laughed, despite himself. Noah glared at him and Thomas quickly muted his amusement. “Is something funny?” Noah asked.

“No, no. I guess--I mean the creek is three feet across and no more than eight inches deep. That boat is massive. How--how are you going to get it in there?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Excuse me.” Noah walked away and stood in another corner of the yard, trying to make it look like he had moved for a reason. Thomas scratched his head and went home.

___

Arpach rarely came out of his room anymore. He still saw Anna, but not as often as before, and when they read by the creek, he focused on his book, tearing through page after page like he never had. Anna sensed that something was bothering Arpach but didn’t know what it was. She tried to get him to talk about it, but he was distant. Arpach was as introverted as he had been before his father’s vision had inspired him to act. Now he had been beaten back into his shell. When they saw each other in the street, they waved awkwardly and went on their separate ways. Soon, Arpach began altering his schedule to avoid the places he thought he might see her. Anna, frustrated and puzzled, stopped visiting.

___

“Mom, Dad, I’m getting married.”

“Congratulations, Shem!” Noah said. Magdalena rushed over to her son and gave him a kiss. He shrugged her off.

“I love that Marilyn, she’s darling,” Magdalena gushed.

“She’s a good girl,” nodded Noah in genuine approval. He was relieved that his eldest son had found himself a good woman who could hopefully calm him down. He greatly disapproved of Ham’s wife Trisha and had tried with no success to steer him elsewhere.

“I think I’m going to ask Samantha to marry me this week,” Japheth said.

“That’s excellent!” Magdalena exclaimed, rushing over to Japheth, embracing him tightly.

“Samantha, is she the one with the glasses and the big forehead?” Shem asked.

“Yeah, she’s kind of a dog,” Ham said. “If we’re going to repopulate earth, you should at least find a good looking girl.”

Japheth looked down at his plate sheepishly. “Yeah, but she’s great in bed,” he mumbled. Shem and Ham were taken aback. They laughed.

“There you go, that’s thinking!” Ham said, slapping him on the back. Japheth chuckled, embarrassed and ashamed.

“Work on the ark is proceeding quickly,” said Noah. “I am pleased with your effort. We should be ready for God’s flood within a week.” Noah looked at his sons. He saw Arpach gazing sullenly at the table. “Is something bothering you Arpachshad?”

“No,” Arpach muttered unconvincingly.

“Arpach can’t find a date for the flood,” said Ham.

“Is this true?”

“No,” Arpach said again.

“Yes it is,” Ham said.

“I heard it’s true,” said Shem. “I know I haven’t seen him around any women lately. I’m starting to have my doubts about him.”

“Lately? Try ever, besides that one chick for a little while. He’s a queer, I’m sure of it,” said Ham.

“I’m not a queer,” Arpach sighed.

“Well you’d better find yourself a suitable wife, son. We don’t have much longer.”

“It’s going to be a long, lonely voyage, you know,” offered Ham. “I don’t know if your right hand is up to the task.”

“He’ll be making time in the back of the boat with the cows,” laughed Shem. Arpach left his brothers laughing at the table.

___

Arpach crept through the house breathlessly. He avoided the creaky spots and glided to the back door as quickly and quietly as he could. He carefully placed the door back into its frame and stalked across the yard.

He looked up at the ark. The moonlight reflected bluntly off the dull wood. Arpach looked around and found a large rock on the ground. He picked it up and hurled it at the ark. It simply bounced off the bottom of the ship, making a loud noise. Arpach looked back at the house nervously. He slunk around to the other side of the ship and waited for a minute and a half, listening to see if he had woken anybody up. Finally confident that he was alone, he found a hatchet next to a pile of wood on the side of the ark.

Arpach needed to buy some time. He wasn’t ready to leave. He needed to win Anna over or find someone else or--he didn’t know exactly what he needed to do. He just knew he had more time.

He gripped the hatchet nervously. He took a huge swing and hit the ship dead on. He put a deep crack in the hull. He examined the crack and swung again. The split widened. He swung several more times until he had opened up a small hole in the boat. He then used the head of the hatchet to rip the hole open. He worked on the hole feverishly until it was large enough for him to walk through. He stepped gingerly across splintered wood and carefully returned the hatchet to where he found it. He slipped into bed shaking.

___

“What happened here?”

Noah stood in the yard, shaking his head. He picked up a board that had been ripped out of its place on the ark, examining it closely. Japheth was visibly upset; Shem and Ham were furious. Arpach was nervously trying to look inconspicuous.

“What are we going to do?” Shem asked. “Are we going to have to rebuild?” Arpach’s ears perked up.

“I don’t think so,” Noah answered. “We should be able to save what we have. But this is certainly going to be a delay.”

“How long do we have? Weeks?” Arpach asked a little too eagerly.

“It’s not that bad. Days. A week at most.”

Arpach ran off at the first opportunity. He had a week.

___

He knocked quietly but frantically at Anna’s door. He didn’t know what he was going to do or say. He just knew that he had a week and he needed to do or say something. She smiled when she opened the door.

“Would you like to take a walk with me?” You’re so stupidly formal; she’ll notice that.

“Sure. Give me a minute.”

___

“So I haven’t seen you in a while,” Anna said.

“I know, I know. I’ve just been--I’m sorry, I’ve just had a tough time recently.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said. “With what?” Arpach exhaled deeply.

“I don’t know if I can say.”

“Oh,” Anna said disappointedly. Arpach looked at her. She watched her feet, lips pursed. He grabbed the back of his neck nervously and looked at the ground.

“I guess I’ve just been upset about you,” he blurted quickly, wincing as if he had just ripped out a clump of his hair. Anna was shocked. She stopped right in the middle of the road.

“What?” They looked at each other. “Why--why, was it something I’ve done?”

“No no no,” Arpach said insistently. “Not at all, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.” He stood there nervously, afraid of coming too close while trying to find the words. He worried he was looking too long and rubbed his face to give himself something to do. “Well it’s just I think I’m in love with you,” (Anna’s jaw dropped) “and I was just upset when I learned you were interested in someone else.”

Anna searched herself, stunned. Arpach watched her struggle with what she had just heard. It was painful. He looked down ashamed and nodded. He took a step, but he couldn’t leave. In a normal situation, he would have left (who are you kidding, in a normal situation you never would have made it this far) but he had to stay. He wouldn’t be able live with himself if he didn’t see this through.

“I--” Anna finally began, “I just don’t know what to say.”

“I’m sorry,” Arpach blurted. He was sorry. He was sorry for feeling that way about her, sorry for telling her, sorry it had to be this way, just sorry in general. But the situation was out of his hands. “I just needed to tell you. And I need to ask you if you’ll marry me.” Arpach wouldn’t have thought it was possible, but Anna looked even more shocked than she had just a few seconds ago. Arpach nodded to himself again and muttered incoherent self-hatred under his breath.

“I’m sorry Arpach, but I just can’t marry you.”

“I know. I know you can’t, and I understand. But--I can’t explain it, but you just have to.” Arpach’s body had abandoned him. He was physically suffering. His stomach was in chaos, his lungs clenched and sunk into his gut with the rest of his organs, leaving his chest cavity empty.

“Well I understand you might feel strongly, and I’m flattered, don’t get me wrong--”

“No, that’s not what I mean. It’s not just the way I feel, I just know--you have to.” Arpach stared at her, wishing he could tell her about the flood but knowing that would cheapen the whole thing. He couldn’t cheat.

“I need to think about all this,” Anna said.

“I’ll come by tomorrow.” Arpach was shocked at his own assertiveness.

“I’m going to need more time--” but Arpach was already halfway down the street.

___

“Noah, we need to speak.”

Noah looked up from his work on the ark to see his wife standing above him. He squinted up at her and was surprised to see her eyes were damp. They walked into the house.

“I know I haven’t really spoken to you in a while,” she began as soon as they stepped inside. “You must know that this flood is troubling me.” Noah nodded. “I understand you can’t bring everyone so I don’t think I can come with you.”

“Magdalena, you have to come. God wants you to.”

“Oh, God wants me to come?” she hissed. “Is this the same God who’s going to murder all my friends and their children, and everyone? This is the God I’m supposed to obey? No thank you.” Noah opened his mouth, but knew he could say nothing to sway her. “You don’t need me. You have the children and their wives. I’m not going to have any more kids. This is my choice.” She started walking out of the room.

“Magdalena, I really wish you’d come.” She didn’t stop. Noah could hear her go upstairs to their room. She shut the door behind her and began to sob. Noah sighed and went back to work.

___

Arpach saw Anna the next day outside the library. She saw him and put her head down, trying to rush off before he knew she had seen him. Arpach caught up to her.

“Anna! Anna--”

“Hello, Arpach.”

“Have you thought about what I said?”

“I can’t marry you, Arpach.”

“You have to.”

“Arpach, please!” She looked down, trying to control herself. Arpach looked at her, breathless. He was at a loss for words. He expected her to accept. He couldn’t imagine anything else could possibly happen.

“Anna,” he sighed, all breath and no voice. They looked at each other. Anna was obviously upset she had to be so forward with Arpach. She looked like a hurt animal. Arpach tried hard not to let his desperation show. He left her standing alone in the street, holding her books. Anna watched him hurry home.

___

Arpach lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. As awkward and timid as he knew he was, he never imagined that he would really be alone in the end. The ark was almost complete. In a couple of days, the rain would start falling and he would have to face the rest of his life alone. Shem opened the door and stuck his head into the room. Arpach leaned on his elbows, saw his brother’s face and sighed.

“Arpach?”

“What.”

“I just wanted to talk. Do you mind if I come in?”

“Come in if you want to.” Shem took a few hesitant steps into the room and sat in a chair next to Arpach’s bed. He opened his mouth to speak, but Arpach cut him off. “So what do you want, are you going to make fun of me? Is Ham out in the hallway? Just get it over with and go, please.” Shem looked hurt. Arpach was sure this was just a part of the game.

“How are you doing?”

“I’m fucking great, how are you, Shem?” Arpach’s voice was straining from the pressure of his resentment.

“Look. I’ve been thinking about things lately. I don’t know if this flood is the real thing or not. But--”

“Marilyn put you up to this.”

“No,” Shem said, a little forcefully. “No, she didn’t. I just--I was thinking about the flood and--well Marilyn’s made me want to be a better person, but that doesn’t mean she put me up to this and--I just wanted to--apologize for some of the things I’ve done to you.” Arpach didn’t remove his gaze from the ceiling. “I mean, I’ve done some shitty things--”

“Mmm hmm.” Shem paused.

“Well you don’t have to accept my apology. Just know that I’m sorry.” Arpach bolted up.

“You really screwed me up, you know that?” Shem looked down at the floor. Arpach wanted to say more, but he couldn’t think of anything. He just repeated the question and laid back down. Shem walked out of the room.

___

The ark was finished. Animals started pouring into the yard from the surrounding country. Noah’s family was astonished. There was no longer any doubt that the rain was coming just as Noah had said. The animals were docile for the most part and filed neatly into the ark and found their individual cages. People from the town came and visited Noah to see the amazing parade of animals walk into Noah’s ark. Thomas was upset with him, insisting he would not fix the fence that some of the larger animals had obliterated.

At first, Noah was amused with the crowds gathering in his yard, then a bit annoyed. People brought their children and opportunists set up booths in the street in front of his house. But suddenly, watching the masses of people milling around the neighborhood, he was overcome by a feeling of dread and guilt. The thought hit him like a flash. Talking to one of his neighbors, he was suddenly seized by panic and raced up to his study. He tried to pray, but couldn’t.

“Hey Japh, where’s the dog?” Ham asked. Ham had grown tired of making fun of Arpach’s loneliness (it was more sad than anything, no one in the family liked mentioning it and no one in the house liked to talk about it, especially in front of Arpach), so he decided Japheth would be his new target.

“Who?”

“Samantha. Where’s your little dog,” he laughed. Trisha hit him in the shoulder playfully, laughing with him.

“Come on, Ham, lay off him,” said Marilyn. “Don’t listen to him.”

“The kid knows she’s a dog. She’s a nice girl, but she’s a dog.” Japheth shook with anger and embarrassment.

“Please, Trisha, say something,” said Marilyn.

“Hey, I’m not getting involved,” Trisha said, comfortably perched on Ham’s lap.

“Don’t listen to him, Japheth,” Marilyn said. “Samantha’s a wonderful girl. She’ll make a great wife.”

“Yeah,” said Ham. “I’m sure she’ll fetch the paper for you every morning.” He could barely finish his sentence before he burst out laughing. He almost dropped Trisha, who was laughing just as hard.

“Ham, that’s enough. Quick being a prick,” Shem said sternly. Ham looked up at his older brother, surprised.

“Hey, what the fuck, man?”

“Just leave the kid alone. He doesn’t deserve this.”

“What’s it to you? When did you turn into such a pussy?”

“Look, just lay off the kid, all right?” The brothers yelled at each other in the kitchen. Noah and Magdalena tried to quiet their sons down. Marilyn tried to calm Shem but Trisha started yelling at her, making Shem angrier. Japheth watched in horror as his family seemed to fall apart around him. Arpach came down from his room to see what the noise was all about.

The sound of a sudden burst of raindrops hitting the roof penetrated the house. Everyone was deadly silent. The family looked up at Noah. “We must take shelter in the ark,” he said. Silently, the family gathered their belongings and made their way outside as the first of forty days of water leaked from the clouds.

___

“I can’t do it.” Magdalena stood at the bottom of the ramp leading up to the boat with her hand trying to squeeze her face together to keep tears from falling out. Noah looked down on her from the deck of the ship.

“Magdalena,” he sighed.

“I just can’t do it, Noah. I can’t leave these people behind.” Noah looked away from her, down at his feet.

“Try not to think about it,” he mumbled.

“Try not to think about it?” Her voice was shaking. “How can I not think about it, Noah? These people are going to die. They’re going to drown.” Noah looked at the sky. Magdalena ran back into the house. Noah called after her and followed her inside. He caught up to her in the kitchen and grabbed her.

“Magdalena, please. This isn’t easy for me either, but we have to do this.”

“Why do we have to do this? I don’t want to do this. I can’t do it, I can’t live knowing--” She stuttered.

“Please, Magdalena. Come into the ark. Do it for me.”

“I can’t,” she replied immediately, shaking her head and looking at the table. Noah stood with her in the kitchen, not knowing what to do. They heard the creak of a foot on the wood in the living room. Ham jumped around the corner and grabbed his mother. She began shouting.

“Ham, please don’t hurt her,” Noah said.

“I’ve got her, Dad, don’t worry about it.” Ham dragged his mother out of the room. She was screaming and clawing at the walls. “Japheth, get in here and help me already.” Japheth reluctantly stepped into the room.

“Take it easy, Ham, if--”

“Just shut up and grab her!” Japheth grabbed his mother’s legs. The two sons carried her onto the ark. “Throw her in the cage,” Ham ordered.

“Do not throw me in a cage! I am your mother!”

“Ham, just--”

“Throw her in the goddamn cage!” Ham screamed.

“Stop! Stop, I’ll stop fighting!” Magdalena pleaded. By now, Noah had joined the boys on the ark.

“Please, Ham, just let her go,” he said. Japheth nodded.

“Fine,” he said, almost dropping his mother. “But if you try to run, you’re going in the cage, and that’s that.” Magdalena brushed herself off.

“Where’s our room,” she said, almost crying. Noah showed her the way. She slammed the door in her husband’s face and broke down alone.

___

Arpach couldn’t sleep. He lay on his bed staring at the ceiling listening to the patter of the rain on the wood above his head. He relived moments he had with Anna in scattered pieces, savoring every beautiful and painful detail. He remembered the night on her porch in the rain.

He got out of bed.

___

As he walked out of his yard, he heard a voice call him from the deck of the ship. He turned around to see Shem watching him go. He reluctantly returned and stood underneath his brother on the ground.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going for a walk,” he said curtly.

“Come back.”

Arpach looked up at his brother. He quickly looked down and walked off in the rain.

___

He tapped on Anna’s door. It was late and he didn’t want to wake anyone up. Inside, Anna read by a dim candle. She looked up, listening intently, not sure if she had heard a tapping amidst the beating of the rain on the house. Arpach tapped again and Anna crept for the door, wary of criminals. Arpach lost his patience and pounded.

“Who is it?” Anna whispered. Arpach looked down, embarrassed. He almost ran. He took a second to gather himself.

“It’s Arpach.”

Anna opened the door. “What do you want? It’s late. My parents went to bed hours ago.”

“I wanted to apologize for my behavior before.” That’s not what Arpach wanted at all. “It was ridiculous.” His mind rebelled, screaming at him to grab her and drag her to the ark, or just sit her down and explain why she had to come. “That’s all,” he said, barely audible.

“Thank you,” said Anna strangely. Arpach grabbed his neck. “Is that all?”

“Yes,” he said immediately, eyes at his feet. He clenched his fists and punched his thighs. “Well I just came over to--to tell you that so I’m just going to go home now.”

“It’s raining pretty hard. Do you want to sit on the porch and talk until it lets up?” Arpach stared hard at her.

“Okay.”

___

The friends talked as the water battered the roof above them and the ground around them. They talked warmly of insignificant things. It was the kind of conversation that Arpach had savored in the past, but now it was hollow and meaningless. Each word made him sadder and sadder. He wondered when the water would begin to pool.

“You didn’t just come over here to apologize,” Anna said suddenly. Arpach was stunned. He looked up at her. She looked back at him sadly and knowingly.

“You need to come with me Anna.”

“Arpach--”

“No Anna, you don’t understand, you need to!” The almost aggressive desperation Arpach had felt before had given way to sadness. He stood up and wiped at his eyes, his voice cracking. “You just have to, all right? You don’t understand.”

“Arpach, I understand how I feel, and I’m sorry, but I don’t feel the same way about you--”

“It’s not just about that though! Just--” Arpach sighed, exasperated. “Look,” he said, his voice dropping. “I’m going away tomorrow.” He hated himself for lying and he hated himself for using what truth there was in the situation to his advantage. “That’s why I--” He didn’t finish. He just sighed again.

“Look, you’re a great person, but--you’ll find someone else, Arpach.”

“No I won’t.”

“You will,” she insisted. Arpach sighed again and ran his hands through his hair. He paced back and forth on the porch, then got on his knees in front of Anna’s seat.

“Fine. Don’t marry me. That’s fine. But please. Just come with me. You--I need you to come with me and--you really should come.”

“I have friends and family here--”

“You don’t understand!” he shouted. Anna was taken aback. Arpach walked over to the railing and looked out at the rain. Muddy puddles were gathering in the yard and on the street. Anna was now standing. He walked over to her and grabbed her, but lightly. “Please,” he whispered. “This rain isn’t going to stop. And--” He looked at her with wide eyes. He couldn’t say anymore. He could only look at her, desperately hopeful she’d understand. She looked up at him, puzzled.

“Things will get better for you, I promise. But I can’t come with you.” She took his hands down from his shoulders, held them for a moment, then broke away and walked inside. Arpach watched her slender figure through the window, walking over to the table and blowing out the lone candle that lit the house.

You are letting her die.

He ran.

___

Arpach didn’t know where to go. He turned the corner away from Anna’s house, but didn’t want to go home to the ark. He told himself there was no ark to go back to. He sat under a tree in a ditch. He hoped he would drown sooner this way.

“Arpach!” He looked up. Shem was standing above him with a light, soaked to the bone.

“Arpach, come home.”

Mechanically, Arpach got up and followed his brother back to the ark. But he didn’t know why.

___

The water rose quickly. Houses were flooded overnight. Some woke up, panicking as water filled their nostrils and flowed into their lungs. Gasping under the surface of the water, they suffered the most. Mothers tried to hold their children above the rising tide, but the roof couldn’t rise with the water. A few made it outside, but they were swept under by powerful, swirling currents.

Others never woke up. Anna coughed a bit, but was deep in sleep. She was never conscious to experience the inhalation of rainwater. Her thoughts stopped before she could reconsider Arpach’s strange words. She was only lifted delicately off her bed and floated, cold, on top of the water to the ceiling.

___

The ark cut quietly through the debris of the flood. Every now and then, a board or a body would thud against the wood, sending chilling reverberations through the hollow ship.

No one spoke. There was nothing to say.

___

Arpachshad stood on the deck looking down into the cloudy water below him. He dived in, slipping underneath. He looked around but was disoriented in the murky sea. He flashed up to the surface, gasping. He heard creaking on the ark above him and quickly dove below the surface again. He had to move quickly.

He found a building and swam inside. He thought he recognized the place, but he didn’t know where he was. His eyes began to burn. He wondered if he would have been able to recognize his own neighborhood from underwater. His throat was a hard lump and his lungs screamed for air. He saw a body on the other end of the room and shuddered. He closed his eyes and thought of knocking her over in the street. He opened his mouth and drank in the water around him.

Above him, his family slept inside the ark.