Page 24 - Vol. VI #7

A Robin van ecK
Nicky Nicky Nicky Nicky Nine Doors
n n n n n n n n n n itch skittered across the the the the the the nape of his neck out there was no no need for candles or or or or a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a flashlight He could slink through the the the the the darkness never stub- bing a a a a a a a a a a a a a a toe or or or running into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a wall He peeked through the the the the the the the peephole No No shad- ows No No No unwelcomed movement Like the the the the the the the the first time he he he he he he he he he he grasped the the the the the the the the knob and and and pulled open the the the the the the the the door slowly listening for the the the the the the the the the hushed giggles Another cigarette dangled from his his his his his lips Scratch leaned his his his his his head on on the the the the the the back of the the the the the the couch and and closed his his his his his eyes Listening Training his his his his his ears The kitchen tap dripped A A A floorboard creaked A A A truck rumbled along the the the the the street outside Is this what darkness would would sound like?
Scratch Scratch stepped onto the the the the the the the the porch and and and squinted out over the the the the the the the the lawn lawn Not that one could really call it it it a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a lawn lawn its six-inch brown blades choked with dande- lion carcasses Best he he he he he he he he he he figured the the the the the street lay empty Scratch’s line of vision stretched twenty feet at at at at at best even behind the the the the the Coke-bottle lenses he’d worn since childhood supposed to help him him him see better but but only made him him look like an an arachnid How would would infinite dark dark dark smell taste or or or feel? Like the the the smoke and tar dripping down his his his his his walls that he’d long long ago gone nose blind to? Nicotine on on on on on his his his his his tongue? Would dark dark dark be be warm like like his his his his favourite fleece sweater or or or or irritating as as his his his his itches? Sighted people became distracted with the the the the the many colours so so much movement They missed the the the the snap of of lips drawing together the the the the click of of fingernails on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a desk Would forever darkness become distorted?
He couldn’t drive but but but that didn’t bother him him him Not as as as as as long as as as as as his his his feet worked and there was no law against riding a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bike Always with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a helmet helmet of course If he he he he he he he he he he he he had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a crash the the the the the helmet helmet might pre- vent his his his his his brains from spilling onto the the the the the the road but but it it wouldn’t protect his his his his his his retinas One more conk to to to the the the the the head—hell if he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he sneezed too hard—he could find himself blinder than a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a headless chicken Scratch Scratch Scratch opened his eyes The The sounds faded He scratched his his his his his his his his chin and and and and ran his his his his his his his his hand down the the the the the the the length of his his his his his his his his beard—a foot and and and and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a half at at at last mea- sure—then curled the the the the the end around his his his his his his his fingers and and and and and tugged The The hair hair on on on his his his his his his his head head nearly as as as as as as long as as as as as as that on on on his his his his his his his face both gray as as as as as as the the the the the ash dangling from the the the the the cigarette cigarette pinched between his his his his his thumb and and and and and forefin- ger ger The The hair hair made made him him him feel safe Hidden Padded He knew it it was foolish and and and most times made made him him him even itchier But he he he he he he he he he he he he he he couldn’t bring himself to to shave Scratch Scratch Scratch hardly remembered a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a time when he he he he he he he he he wasn’t Scratch—something to to to do with lice and and and childhood taunts Half a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a century and and and some some he he he he he he he he he turned 54 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a few weeks ago All he he he he he he he he he he had to to show for for it: hindsight the best vision he he he he he he he he he could hope for for and and and smoking fingers stained yellow almost orange A final pull pull on on the the the the the the the the cigarette cigarette and and and and he he he he he he he he he he he he he he flicked the the the the the the the the butt into the the the the the the the the yard Choke on on that he he he he he he he he he he he he he thought adjust- ing ing ing ing ing his his his ball cap so the the the the the the the the the bill paralleled his his his eyebrows Back in in in in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the the the the house house he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he locked the the the the the the the the the the door door and and pulled the the the the the the the the the the chain giving the the the the the the the the the the door door a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a slight pat “Sweet Jesus ” ” ” he he he he he he he he he muttered Scratch lunged for for for the the the the door door stubbing his his his his toe on the the the the leg of of of the the the the coffee table “Blasted Christ ” ” ” The The The cigarette fell from his his his his his his lips “Shit ” ” ” He dropped to to his his his his his knees sweeping his his his his his hand back and and and and forth searching for for for for the the the the the the the sting of of of of the the the the the the the the cherry against his his his his his finger Finally he he he he he he he he he he he he felt it it it it and and and and and plucked up the the butt Scratch moved with ease around around his his his his his tiny living room to to the the the the the the the the the couch Sometimes he he he he he he he he he he he practiced being blind Walking around around the the the the the the the the house house glasses folded on the the the the the the coffee table hat pulled down over his his his eyes All his his his stuff mapped to to memory If the the the the power went Scratch ripped open the the the the the the door but but forgot the the the the the the strand of of of chain securing it it it it in in in in in in in in in in in in in place He He closed it it it it again again and and and unfastened the the the the the link Cool air rushed over him He He stood stone still Listening Waiting The barking dog seemed closer “Get out of of here 15
Branches crackled outside his his his window The The The scuff of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a shoe muffled voices The The The doorbell rang rang Again