Necromantia: Vol. 1-3 (Three Book Set)

by Matthew Buza

  Joseph then massaged Dennis slowly, helping to break up any rigor that had set in on the arms and legs. His fingers ran gently over the years of scars deposited by the harbor work. The lines and patterns dug deep into his skin. Joseph's hands worked in a deliberate pattern pushing and squishing the death out of Dennis. Using a small pump and an embalming needle, Joseph slowly drained all the blood from Dennis's system. His veins and arteries were slowly filled with nearly 3 quarts of formaldehyde and phenol solution. He pulled out a second needle and proceeded to fill the chest cavity with additional formaldehyde in order to preserve his internal organs.

  After a short wash, Dennis was zipped into a black transport bag and loaded into the university medical van. The van navigated through Seattle and backed into a short alley behind the university. Dennis and five other bagged passengers were unloaded into the refrigerator room for storage. Two months later, Dennis was wheeled out into a large room and loaded onto a cold stainless steel table. The door read Anatomy 101. The students began to file into the room and stand next to their assigned tables. Isaac and James nervously stood over the black body bag that bulged in the center. Inside the bag, Dennis rested quietly in his plastic tomb.

  Class

  Professor Randolph Foley entered the classroom and quietly walked to the chalkboard. He pulled out a small piece of chalk and wrote Abdomen.

  “What does this word mean to you?” The room was silent as the students stood alongside their cadavers. “Nothing? Really…you are just going to sit there and stare at me. I think the cadavers have more life than you people.”

  There was a long pause and James slowly lifted his arm. “It is where most of your vital organs live.”

  “Correct, but more exactly this is where your guts are. Intestinal fortitude. Some would say your bravery.” He paused for a moment. “It's a metaphor, you idiots,”

  He scanned the room to see blank stares. “You all need it. That man over there has some. What's your name?”

  “James, sir.”

  “James, huh? James here has some guts. First, he is here, in this program. That takes guts. He's here in this class and he managed to do the easiest task, which was to answer a simple question. He has guts.” The professor walked around his desk and motioned to the students. “All of you have paired off and have been assigned a body. That body is in the bag before you. I don't want to be pedantic here, you all signed the waivers. There are clear rules to this lab. If I…or anyone here catches you fucking with these bodies, in any way, you are out. And I am not talking about the class. We won't tolerate anything. We will not have a repeat of last semester.”

  A young girl raised her hand slowly.

  “No, you idiot. I will not tell what happened last semester.” She lowered her hand. “If you want to know, I'm sure there are some third-year students who would be happy to tell you. You must realize that before you are people, real people. These people had loved ones, they had lives, and dreams. Respect that.” He scanned the room making eye contact with the students. “Now, to today's task. We will be examining the guts of the body before you. You will be making an incision above the belly button and you will open the cavity. You will find the stomach and identify the curvatures, both lesser and greater. You will finish by massaging the pyloric sphincter. Because we are going for the stomach, we will be digging around. That will require guts, thus our metaphor. Many of you, who might be dreaming of being a surgeon, may change your mind today. Scalpels and reverse clamps are on the table as well as the instruction printouts if you've forgotten where the fucking stomach is. Let's begin.”

  The tools clanked and chimed against the stainless steel tables. Nervous eyes shifted over the numerous black bags. Slow zipping sounds signaled the braver individuals in the class. Isaac was not nervous; he and James had dealt with bodies in the past. Isaac's large arms reached into the black bag and lifted Dennis up. A quick swipe of his arm and the bag was pulled out. He lowered the body onto the table as James lowered the short sheet over Dennis's waist, obscuring his genitals.

  The professor spoke again, “Oh, I forgot to tell you, if you are new to cadavers, you will notice that you may get a little hungry. It is a side effect of formaldehyde. Happy cutting, y’all.”

  James looked at Isaac smiling. “Good thing I had a big breakfast.”

  Isaac responded, “Sucks for me, I'm always hungry.”

  “What are we going to name this fool?”

  “Name? Why would we name it?”

  “We are not going to call it the body the whole semester, that is for sure.”

  “What name do you want?”

  “Something regal or pretentious.”

  “Let's just call him Dick.”

  “Did you get a look?”

  Isaac was confused. "What are you talking about?”

  “Did,” he paused, “you get a look?”

  “No, I didn't.”

  “You went for a look before the sheet dropped.”

  “I swear I will climb over this table.”

  “Climb over the dick and do what?”

  “Go to hell.” He smiled at James.

  “Alright, my Buddha friend,” James gently rubbed the belly protruding from the table. “We hereby rename your sorry ass Dick.”

  Isaac bowed his head. “Thanks, Dick.”

  “Are you going to start?”

  Isaac picked up the scalpel and pressed it into Dick's skin, pulling and splitting it with ease. Yellow bubbly tissue rolled out of the incision as the gap widened. Isaac continued up the abdomen exposing a narrow slit into the dark cavity of the man's bowels.

  “Wait, wait, wait. Are you gutting this man? We only need a small incision to get to the stomach.”

  Isaac blinked and looked at the incision. “I was just making a cut.”

  “No no, we need a small median cut above the belly.”

  “I just started cuttin'.”

  “Alright, man. I think we only get one of these guys, so let's not chop him up into pieces.”

  Isaac took a deep breath. “OK, so just a small cut. I guess I spaced a little.”

  “That's fine. How about I keep going?” James stepped in and slowly placed his fingers into the incision opening the cut. He picked up a small metal retractor and pressed it into the incision. He squeezed and the hole opened and froze in place.

  “Have you ever been noodlin'?”

  “Noodlin'? No, I don't know what that is.”

  James was wrist deep in the cadaver, working his hand around the cavity. “Well, these hicks out in the Midwest Arkansas area go out fishing in the rivers for catfish. They don't use any poles or bait, just their fist, and arm.”

  “How the hell do they do that?”

  “Well, these female catfish are pregnant and have backed into a little hole in the bank. But they got to eat. So this fish comes along and looks like some tasty grub. The catfish latches on, fist and all, and the guys just pull them up out of the water. Damnest thing I've ever heard of.”

  “They just latch on?”

  “Yup, some odd fish biology.” James stopped and looked at Isaac. His eyes went wide and his neck popped forward. “Isaac, I dun think I gots one of them stomachs.”

  Isaac smiled. “James ole' boy, don't let that lil'lady go, bring 'er in!”

  “She's a big one.”

  “Don let'er go, we gots to eat.”

  James slowly lifted the burgundy stomach from the opening and laid it out across the man's belly. Both men pulled back at the strong stench of formaldehyde. The organ was covered in a bright sheen that reflected the overhead lighting.

  James turned the stomach over. “Well, she's an ugly fish, but we have to eat, ole boy.”

  Isaac nodded his head with eyes closed. “Life on the river.”

  The room was quiet and solemn. The students were hunched over covered bodies. Their arms fidgeting and poking the splayed organs. Each table was bookended with a blank face and two feet pointed towards the ceiling as if watc
hing some unseen film projected onto the chalky tiles suspended above.

  James leaned down and finished writing notes on the lab handout. “We'll have to copy this for our notes. I think it should be easy. I'll try to get that ready for you tonight.”

  Isaac sat in the chair quietly and stared across the table at the cadaver. His face was empty and eyes peeked through their narrow slits. His mind was lost dreaming of that evening with Zinn. He relived those events in that cell, as his lips moved gently mouthing empty commands.

  James leaned over at the blank man sitting in the chair. “Hello?” He waved his hand. “Earth to Isaac. Amigo?”

  Isaac broke his stare and looked up at the hand waving. “Huh?”

  “Where did you go? I lost you there for a few.”

  “I was just…just thinking about some things.”

  “Did you black out, napping, or were you just daydreaming?”

  Isaac shifted his large frame in the chair. “Just daydreaming.”

  “If it is something more serious, you know, with your brain, please let me know. We are surrounded by future shitty doctors and professors who have given up on practicing medicine. We might be able to misdiagnose you.”

  Isaac smiled. “No…no. I just got a little lost.”

  “You've been doing that sleep staring thing again.”

  “I've been a little distracted.”

  “Well, I've got the lab notes finished and I will copy them for you.”

  “You…you don't have to do that. I can do the copying if you want.”

  “It's alright, man. I will be able to do it faster and I need the notes to review.”

  The frustration began to rise in Isaac's voice. “OK, but I can do it if you want.”

  “No stress, man. What distant land were you on?”

  Isaac's mind could still see Zinn standing over him swaying, as her hair moved from side to side. “Nothing, just thinking about nonsense.”

  “Don't go drifting on me, buddy. I need you here in the lab.”

  Isaac stood up, gently brushing off his pants. “Well then, what do we have left to do?”

  The two men looked back at the body on the table. James said, “We've got to put that man's stomach back where we found it and sew him up.”

  James offered the needle and thread to Isaac who reluctantly took it. He walked over to the body. He pressed the organ back into the cavity and with large arm movements began to close up the man.

  The Ask

  Isaac and James sat on the limestone wall edging the entrance to the medical building. A misting rain coated the brick walkway with a fine layer of water that reflected the gray light of the early afternoon. Students moved in and out of the entrance as Isaac stared blankly out at the blue-green Douglas Firs that stood along the open courtyard.

  James broke the silence, “Man, this is a new level of hungry. This is formaldehyde hungry. How are you not chewing on your books?”

  “I know, man. I could eat a house.”

  “So where are we going? Sally's, Pizza, or the cafeteria?”

  “Pizza. It's all I can see right now.” He shifted and stood up arching his back.

  “We walking in this?” James looked up to the sky as the mist began to open up into a light drizzle.

  “It's Seattle, man. This is like a sunny day.”

  “For you. I'm still getting used to this.”

  “Just think of it as a perpetual baptism. All them sins are just fallin' off you.”

  “I'm sure that is what the good Lord is thinking.”

  James stared out onto the opening. “Shall we go?”

  Isaac looked back to the large double doors leading into the building. “How about I catch up with you. I need to speak with Dr. Foley for a minute about a score.”

  “What? That quiz from last week?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Dude, it is just one grade. Don't worry about it. I bombed a few quizzes last semester and it never affected me.”

  “I know. I just need to clear up a few things.”

  James sighed. “Alright, do you want me to wait?”

  “No, if I have to sit in the pizza place and wait for pizza, I might just tear the place apart. Go ahead and order for me. Pepperoni and extra cheese. I'll take my own pizza, please. I'm not sharing shit with anyone after that class.”

  James clicked his heels and softly saluted Isaac. “Yes, sir. One monster pizza.” He spun around and disappeared down the short stairs and out across the green. Isaac turned and followed a group of girls through the building entry and down through a dark hallway.

  Dr. Foley's office was on the third floor just off the rear stairwell. His was in a converted janitor's office and enjoyed an open vent window view to the neighboring brick building. The walls were lined with shelves that sagged under the weight of an assortment of textbooks and journals. The cracked brown leather chair was the doctor's prized possession. The swivel creaked at the slightest movement and the leather popped as his weight shifted.

  James knocked on the door molding and Dr. Foley looked up from his papers. “Sir, could I have a minute to speak with you?”

  “Yes.” There was a slight pause as Foley scanned his brain for a name. “Isaac, right?”

  “Yes, sir. I'm in your anatomy class.”

  “Well, you are a large man so it's hard to forget.”

  Isaac smiled. “Yes, my genetics have always been winning that battle against gravity.”

  Foley leaned back in his chair as it let loose an audible symphony. “Sit down. Sit down. So Isaac, what can I do for you?”

  Isaac lowered his large frame into the small office chair. “I wanted to speak with you about my current internship.”

  “Not a problem. Where are you putting in your time?”

  “I am currently working at the Tennison Center in Seattle.” There was a short pause as Dr. Foley's eyes widened. “I'm there with another student, a friend of mine, James. He is in the anatomy class as well.”

  “James? Right? I remember him from today's class.”

  “Yes, James. Well, we work together on the weekend. We have the night shift together.”

  “I am well aware that Tennison can be a challenge. I've heard stories from past students.” The professor smiled slightly as he leaned into his desk. “I can tell you that you are doing the Lord's work in that place. How did you get that position anyway?”

  “I didn't know what the center was. We were late getting to the list of internships and it was one of the last spots open, so James and I put our names down.”

  “So what is the issue?”

  “Well, to be frank, I don't want that internship anymore. I mean, I just don't want to work at that center anymore. I just don't think it is for me. I was hoping to get some medical experience, but in the end, we are often just orderlies, tackling people and administering medications. And there have been some incidents where it's gotten pretty violent.”

  “OK, well the university doesn't want you to feel unsafe. Do you feel in danger? I can't believe that the Tennison center would put you at risk.”

  “Well, the night shift can be understaffed at times. When we are the only two students there in the evening, it can be a struggle.”

  “Son,” Dr. Foley leaned closer folding his hands on top of a stack of papers, “things that are a struggle or tough are different from not feeling safe. I can assure you that the other students are likely having a tough time or are struggling with their internships.”

  “I may have been unclear. I have no issue with putting in physical work, sir.” Isaac shifted nervously in the chair. “I just feel that there have been some incidents with the patients that are uncomfortable.”

  “Well, a place like the Tennison center will really help groom you for your future residency. If you work downtown, you are going to get all sorts of…” he paused, shifting in his seat, “interesting people walking into the emergency room. Also, having the patience to deal with Tennison's finest will make other jobs
easy in comparison. Just think of it as steel sharpening steel.”

  “I understand that sir, but I have been thinking about it over the last few days and I would like to know if I could change roles. Is that even possible at this time?”

  “Well, let's take a few steps back. I want to get the whole picture. How are your grades in your classes?”

  Isaac buried his frustration at the professor changing the topic. “Well, they could be better sir.”

  “What are we talking here? B or B-?”

  “I'm more like a B- or C+ student.” Isaac could smell the patronizing stench from the professor. “I'm working hard to get them back up. I have trouble sometimes with exams. I know the information, but my mind struggles taking the tests.”

  “OK, I see. Well, keep working on that. It will be important as you move forward to improve your marks. With respect to your internship, the department doesn't care if you have a new internship, but you need to work it out with the folks at Tennison. The department's only requirement will be that you have an internship to transition into. Tennison might be able to connect you with another person or organization. I would speak with them. If you find something else, just come back in and speak with the secretary to get the details changed in the file.”

  A smile and a sense of release came across Isaac. “I really appreciate the help, sir.”

  Dr. Foley stood and put out his hand and Isaac shook it. “Isaac, get your grades up. No one wants a C Doctor, OK?”

  “Yes, sir.” Isaac walked out of the office and down the hall. The last comment stung him and it showed on his face. His shoulders hung low as he pressed the door and walked out into the rain.

  Just a Hand

  Isaac stood on the street corner staring across the road to the park. The crosswalk sign glowed red as cars streamed across his view, leaving behind dull blurs in his vision. Isaac was focused on the stand of oak trees bordering the road. The trees formed a black and impenetrable wall casting a dark shadow onto parked cars lining the street edge. Overhead, low gray clouds rolled and danced as they streamed by leaving a fine mist in their wake.