Broken Levees
Title: Broke Levees
Author: Angel Starbeam
Word count: 733
Summary: Levees are walls that keep rivers and lakes from flooding a place. When the levees break, the water that they’re blocking, escapes and cause a lot of damage to the places that they flood.
Disclaimer: I do not own ‘Dead Like Me.’ MGM & Showtime does, and Bryan Fuller created it. Trust me, if I did own it, Bryan Fuller would’ve had full creative freedom and the show might have gone longer then two seasons.
**
Chapter 1: Business Trip
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
When the Levee Breaks, Led Zeppelin version
Levees are walls that keep rivers and lakes from flooding a place. When the levees break, the water that they’re blocking, escapes and cause a lot of damage to the places that they flood.
Because Dad was a Led Zeppelin fan, and I would rather listen to the music he played in the car than Mom’s New Age crap, I got to hear When the Levee Breaks about 54 times. I ask Dad what a levee was and why were these guys pissing and moaning about it, and he told that definition.
Der Waffle House was mildly occupied by customers, all were eating breakfast that was not necessarily waffles, or they were reading a newspaper, talking on a cell phone or complaining. Either way, they were doing something. In the midst of the semi-activity, two young women entered the restaurant. They were also in semi-activity, talking about a topic that was prevalent in most of their conversations.
“So you blew the guy that did the Hertz commercial,” George Lass rolled her eyes. They really needed a new conversation topic.
Daisy Adair, the much older and more experience of the two, smiled and nodded her styled and made up to perfection head, “I had free access to the cars after that. Too bad it didn’t last long, but a BMW isn’t always what keeps a relationship together.”
“Because you could also have a cruise ship and a private jet too,” George jibed.
“I’m not a big fan of planes.”
George then spotted a tall, lanky man in trademark red leather jacket and fingerless driving gloves coming in from the door. Mason joined their trek to their usual tale.
“You’re stoned” George said bluntly. It was pretty easy to say. The Englishman was blurry-eyed with shadows underneath and the rest of him looked un-showered.
“No…well yeah,” Mason slurred.
The three reapers went down the aisle and sat down their booth. Already there was Rube and Roxy. For some reason, George thought they looked grimmer then usual.
Huh, George thought, grim.
Mason, ignoring the fact that he was coming to work stoned, again, picked up the menu and slurred out, “I think I’ll have a sorbet”
Roxy grimaced, “What the hell is a sorbet?”
Daisy powdered her nose, “It sounds French, but I’m sure. Maybe he wants to be sober.”
Rube did not look up from his leather day planner, “It’s a frozen dessert with ice fruit puree with other toppings, like strawberries.”
“You think he needs that now?” George asked, “Maybe coffee would be better.”
Kiffany then came along with her usual pad to take orders.
“I want a sorbet,” Mason said and place his head on the table.
“I came back later,” Kiffany left.
Rube then took out the post-its, “And while we’re waiting.”
The fellow reapers took their post its and read it. then questions sprung up.
“Um, mine says ‘Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.’ That’s not even near us.”
“Which is the topic to discuss for today,” Rube said, “Hope you all like lobster and crayfish, because you’re going to New Orleans. Temporary assignment.”
“So how long are we going to be there?” Daisy asked, her face paled significantly.
“Not sure. Maybe a few months.”
“A few months?!” George exclaimed, “Screw it Rube, I have a job.”
Rube turned to the eternally eighteen year old, with a look of a father about to reprimand his especially naughty child.
“This is your job and it requires to be transferred to Louisiana for an undetermined amount of time.”
“Why us?”
“Why the higher ups want you three to go and be someone else’s problem, I don’t know. But you’re going.”
“That’s where they do the voodoo and spirits thing.” Mason said.
“Maybe they’ll have sorbet over there,” Roxy said.
How come we couldn’t do this during Mardi Gras?
**
This is a first draft that I want to rewrite. What do you think so far?