Tuesday 29 June 2010

Lyokha

The wolves would still like your children.
Leave them at the edge of forest - the ones you have broken.
It's OK, the wolves will fix them.
Beneath this rough maternal tongue broken tender skin parts to reveal a rough pelt
Tiny pointed teeth erupt from sore & purpled gums
He growls contentedly, sharpens nascent claws on the trunks of trees.
They make the coolest sound clicking down hospital corridors; listen -

tap tap tap

Let me in.

"He's clearly dangerous to other people" said a police spokesman yesterday.
this fearsome bite
that wicked scratch
(Psychological problems, but also a source of viruses and infections.)



It's really infectious, this wolfishness. The other children would love that fur, these strong yellow teeth, those atrocious claws; run on bent legs through the snow, oblivious to the bite of cold.

"We didn't even manage to complete the proper medical checks. We only succeeded in giving him a shower, cutting his nails and took some blood and other tests," said a doctor.

The wolves wait patiently outside the clinic. They make these soft throaty noises. The youngest one starts to howl - his aunt, or some other relative cuffs him sharply. "Be quiet" this means;
"or they'll get you too, cut off your claws and scrub away your fur."

The cub sees himself shivering naked & furless on the streets of Moscow, sucking vodka through filed down useless stumps of teeth. He shudders & flattens himself against the wall of the clinic, quiet & still. Shh

His aunt pulls her hat down low over her ears & sends telepathic wolf messages to her other nephew locked inside.

He sniffs the air & snarls at the doctors. Laughs this wolfish laugh as they scuttle backwards.
Nobody restrains him when he decides it's time to go.

They're afraid of infection.

"You'd better ditch that stupid red hat" growls his aunt as they run together, an invisible pack - looking for the forest.

He's out there still - busy regrowing claws and fur. You can hunt him if you want, 2000 Euros for 5 days - or you could, if we hadn't just made him up.

4 comments:

  1. Sorry, i think i haven't ever commented on your awesome writing, so i will do this now. I'm a true fan.

    DB

    ReplyDelete
  2. is an honour DB - you'll see me blah -ing on in yr own comment slot ...

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is probably the best thing that I've read in a long time.
    The way you blended life
    with fantasy
    and the wordplay and transitions.
    Really beautiful.
    Thanks.

    All the beast,
    dusty rose.

    ReplyDelete
  4. dusty rose - that's a very cool name & i'm really pleased that you liked the story - thank you.
    Cx

    ReplyDelete