A Gatored Community

Global warming has raised the sea level by 30 feet. People live in floating communities that rise and fall with the tides. 

A woman pearl thief has arrived in the floating community of Shellfish Shoals. She’s involving herself with the guy who owns a local oyster farm where cultured pearls are produced, and an alligator is used for security. 

A Gatored Community

Global warming has raised the sea level by 30 feet. People live in floating communities that rise and fall with the tides. A woman pearl thief has arrived in the floating community of Shellfish Shoals. She’s involving herself with the guy who owns a local oyster farm where cultured pearls are produced, and an alligator is used for security.

Chapter 2 AMBERJACK

2 Amberjack Just before sunset, Ted MacKenzie was having a beer after work. He was seated at the bar in the Amberjack, a floating restaurant moored...

3 Binding the Devil

3 Binding the Devil Ted and Andalib moved through the warm early evening darkness, with the lights of the Amberjack Restaurant behind them. Their...

4 Nightingale

4 Nightingale Inside the cramped, narrow cabin of the sloop called Nightingale , Xavier was seated at the table, with a half-empty mug of beer in...

5 Oyster Farm

5 Oyster Farm At 8 o’clock the next morning, Andalib was seated in a dinghy powered by an outboard motor that moved swiftly along the channels...

6 Celibacy Practice

6 Celibacy Practice The sun had set two hours earlier. Inside the maintenance shed at the oyster farm, Ted sat in the dark. He had not turned on the...

7 The Raid

7 The Raid Andalib came running down the walkway. “Dammit, Xavier!” She exclaimed when she came up to her partner, and found him leaning over Ted as...
Cherry

8 Heartbreak Hotel

8 Heartbreak Hotel Xavier’s hammer smashed into the first oyster shell he’d picked out of the burlap bag, sending mother-of-pearl shards flying in...

9 Enthroned in Her Palace

9 Enthroned in Her Palace The following morning Ted MacKenzie lay awake in the bed of his hospital room, beside a window looking out across the...

10 Not Exactly Lost

10 Not Exactly Lost Under the hot and heavy sun, the sloop Nightingale lay at anchor inside a small channel, surrounded by mangroves, far from any...

11 Pearl Garden

11 Pearl Garden 15 minutes before 9 o’clock on Sunday morning, Ted MacKenzie walked beside Andalib Elkart across the open wooden front deck of the...

12 Some Things to Discuss

12 Some Things to Discuss Ted and Andalib headed away from the Church, taking his speedboat back along the main channel, to the Boatel. As they moved...

13 Arraignment

13 Arraignment In the floating Community of Shellfish Shoals, the local Courtroom was located inside the Harbormaster’s Official Barge, along with...

14 Powerful Connections

14 Powerful Connectons As noontime approached, Andalib’s, Xavier’s and Quin’s feet clopped along the floating dock of the Shellfish Shoals Main...

15 Community Service

(Continued from chapter 14) Andalib shouted, “Forget it! This has nothing to do with any ‘Social Justice’! She’s just the sleazy star of a sleazy TV...

16 What a Gal's Got to Do

(Continued from chapter 15) “I’ve completed my community service.” She said, “Now how about my salary, Ted?” She smiled broadly as though nothing was...

17 "Venus on the Half Shell"

(Continued from chapter 16) “Right. I’ll tell you where that all involves us. The leadership of their movement has invented something new, for their...

18 Naked and Fu...

(Continued from chapter 17) “Mr. MacKenzie.” Park Harrison said, “If copies of my wife’s book aren’t on sale in the local bookstore, within 24 hours...

19 A Devil Gator?

19 A Devil Gator? That evening Ted sat alone at a desk in the cabin of his bachelor’s sloop, wondering. Just what the hell is going on? He prayed...

20 490 Times

20 490 Times Ted spent a very short time in Jim Palmera’s office. The lawyer had assured him, “As long as you’ve got the proper licenses and permits...

21 Honest Work

21 Honest Work Ted was again seated beside the outboard motor at the rear of the dinghy, heading out along the channel through the marsh grass, away...

22 The Shellfish Are Screaming

22 The Shellfish Are Screaming Andalib and Xavier were now seated together on a catwalk inside the MacKenzie’s oyster farm, with their legs dangling...

23 None of This is Personal

23 None of This is Personal Ted arrived at the Amberjack Restaurant, a few minutes after 5 that afternoon, accompanied by Eric Mann, Andalib and...

24 Oink! Oink! Oink!

24 Oink! Oink! Oink! Two minutes later, Quin stepped back inside the Amberjack. The place was still mostly empty, except for a few local citizens;...

25 Those Who Would Save Us Part 1

25 Those Who Would Save Us Part 1 The following morning, Andalib and Xavier were back at work inside the MacKenzie’s oyster and pearl farm, again...

26 Those Who Would Save Us Part 2

26 Those Who Would Save Us Part 2 Andalib hurried along the catwalks, in the direction of the stranded yacht, while singing. “I have decided to...

27 Saint Andalib?

27 Saint Andalib? Around six o’clock that evening, Ted, Andalib, Xavier and Eric Mann, were again seated at a table inside the Amberjack, along with...