Page 97 of The Initial Insult

inside my cage. A collection of meals

Long eaten. Their memories, faded, gone.

She goes, with chains, heavy thoughts.

The man carries silver-flash-danger,

Closer.

Eyes me.

He’ll feed us tonight, bleary and slow-smelling,

throwing old meat.

He makes smoke, fills the air with bees,

light sparks. Small shakes. High hums.

I hunker, teeth out, ears down. Muscles tight under, nothing

to leap at,

only silver-flash-danger, biting bars, metal singing.

He stops, sees me down. Makes noises, low now.

His lips curling,

mine too.

He goes, leaving hot metal in the air, curled hind legs beneath me.

The Almost Human in the dusk, hands behind bars,

like butterflies.

Motion again, same. And same. And again.

What Almost Human says, I see—

silver-flash-danger danced wide,

severed the lock-cage-door-shut-trapped.

I flex my feet, claws extended.

And wait for the smell

of old meat.

Chapter 8

Felicity

I started early.

Brynn didn’t say much when I cracked a beer open at my house, but she took her taco costume off so she could drive. Her mouth is tight as we head out to the Allan house, my bells jingling as I nod along with the music. Hugh and David Evans pass us on the way out of town, honking like they’ve accomplished something when they swerve in front of my car. I raise my beer at them in response, like I agree. Brynn silently reaches out, touches my elbow, pushes my arm down out of sight.