Page 34 - Vol. VI #8

Laura arciniega
It It was was low tide The The Phragmites were murmuring and bowing their heads in in in in in in in disap- proval but we we jumped off the the the the the bridge into into the the the the the mud anyway The The body of of the the the the the bay sucked down our our our feet We considered discarding our our our shoes but but who knows what would burrow into into your skin when you’re busy doing the the the the the the impossible?
Joseph began peeling back limp seaweed from the the the the the rocks rocks It It was just like boiled mustard greens except in in in in in in flavor Underneath the the the the the rocks rocks were still covered with an an an unsinkable slime the the the the the thick- ness of which turned my my stomach To escape it it it I I I I I headed to to the the water’s edge “Upper or lower?” “Lower ”
The mud slurped my my my feet and and and and made it it it feel like I I I I was walking underwater When I I I arrived ten thousand silver pennies pennies whirled away I I I I I kneeled down until my my nose and and and and lips touched
We We We wrapped it it in in my sweatshirt and scrambled back onto the bridge We We We passed a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a few Hudson County Parks employees who didn’t judge us us us us suspicious even though we we we were caked in in in mud up to to our knees States So Mixed
dark in in the the the same way that water too hot feels cold “Could “Could “Could it it it be be be be be be the the the the the ambergris of of of an an albertonectes?” he he he he he he he he asked asked “Could “Could “Could it it it be be be be be be a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a holy body of of of stone left behind from when when the the the the the moon was created?”
“Could “Could “Could it it it be be be be be be gilded acacia buried when when God laid the the the the mantle of of the the the the Earth?” I asked asked We We We had no no no answers but you’ll notice no no no one suggested it it was man-made Newark I I I I breathed shakily in in in in in in and and and and and out tasting the the the the the the bay The pennies pennies returned they they were were fish so so delicate that they they were were hardly present except when reflecting the the the the the the the ten o’clock sun I I I laid it still wrapped in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a chest chest which I I I slid under my my my bed bed When my my my husband husband came home Joseph spoke about the the diet of plesiosaurs but did not mention what we had found Joseph spoke behind me I I I I I I jumped and and and and fell into the the the the the the the water water It was warm like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a teakettle just beginning to to to translate I I I I I I looked up up at at at at at at at at my my son through the the the the screen of sand I’d disturbed I I I I I I stood up up and and and as as as the the the water water poured from my my hair he he he he he he asked “Did that happen before?”
Before bed bed I I I brought out out the the the the chest chest and and and showed my my my my husband husband Tears began pouring down his his face “No never ”
”
”
I I I I I I I laughed laughed He He laughed laughed too too “What did you find?”
“Why did you do do this?” he he he he he he asked staring at at the the the mystery He was was was the the the only one one who could suffer it it for for for more than a a a a a a a a a a a few seconds He He held held out his hands palms up I I I I looked looked at at at at at at at at it it it it it and and and I I I I I looked looked at at at at at at at at it it it it it it it it but I I I I I could could not see it it it it it it it it What What he he he he he he he he he held held defied the the the the circuitry of of of my my my brain and and and the the the the powers
of of of my my my soul it it it it it it it it was was from states so so mixed that that that my my my imagination had had never explored them The stron- gest positive claim I I I I I could could could could make of of of it it it it it it it it it was was was that that that it it it it it it it it it must be be be unique in in in in all the the the the worlds that that that had had been or or or or or or ever ever would be—else how could could could one go on on on on on on living?
“Albertonectes was was was named for for Alberta where it it it was was was discovered—”
“I don’t know ”
Joseph answered He looked down at at at it it it it it it but couldn’t stand it it it it it it for long Its glory—was it it it glory?—was too much It It was was was both bright and and “No take take take it it it it it back back to to to to to wherever you found it it it it it Don’t tell me where ”
25
I I laid my hand on on it it it it It was warm “We’ll take take it it it it back back tomorrow ”
”
“Don’t you know what could happen? Take it it back ”
”
”
Flowing down his his neck were tears which called me anathema “I’ll take take it it it it to to to to the the curb right now now ”
”
”
I I stood up to to to to get a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a trash trash bag—a trash trash bag bag for this!