Stages of Decay

Full text can be found in BarBar’s Simulacra, 2024 and The Shortlist: The Best of BarBar, 2024

The cameras started rolling. The humidity had finally begun to let up after three days of camping in wait for better filming conditions. Michael was the last to wake. He believed that rising with the sun was a waste of time. There was no need when the night was right there. His father had always said rising with the sun was the only way to live a productive life. His father, fittingly named, Alpe Cligne, had a myriad of books detailing his ascensions of every mountain on the planet. Kirkjufell, Montserrat, Vesuvius—highlights of his career, written ever so carefully. Technical definitions of such simple beauty. Michael never liked this. He took more to the camera. Life should be shown in its rawest state, not reduced to scientific classifications. It had been such a cold, sunless world to grow up in. One only of science. He often called himself “Pothos.” This self-given nickname followed him into his own career; though, unlike icy Alpe, Pothos took to the caverns.
This rebellion had regretfully never reached dear Mister Cligne as his passing was just as technical as the rest of his life. He called Michael three days prior to his ascension and his son’s descension.

“Son–apologies–Mike, I am going to die. I am old, therefore, I must die.”
“Right… Well, I have to film. For my channel. Bye, dad.”

That was the call. Concise and without fuss; though, saying “dad” left an odd taste in Michael’s mouth, but that was no matter. Pothos had to make a debut on screen sooner or later. Sure enough, Alpe Cligne passed in his sleep, like any sensible man.
The next logical course of action, according to Missus Cligne, was to call Mike’s phone. Of course, that call was never returned. Michael never returned calls, but especially not right now. He was filming. He had been planning this descent for years, and while rain was forecasted there was no room for hesitation, so he proceeded down, phone safe and dry in his tent, ringing and ringing and ringing until the battery inevitably gave out.