I dare you - read it more than once and see where it takes you. Then tell us what you saw.
Hate to show off, but I loved making this particular 'cover'.
IT'S A LONG WAY TO SOMETIME
One step. One step me. Earth shook. Shook much, dust fell on head. My head. Dust on head. One step I took more. Dust fell. Do not want dust on head.
Two steps I do. Clever. I walk. Them said “he never walk.” Them wrong. I walk. See three steps. Now no care about dust.
I want.
I want same as others.
Mother. Father. Brother. Sister. Home.
I want.
They not want me.
Four steps. Five steps. I walk. I walk good.
This. This door. This stop me walk any more. Bang. No door stop me walk any more.
This is. What they say? New.
This is. Room. Big. Walk here good. More steps. How many more steps. Ten more steps. I walk good. Them say “he never walk.” Them wrong. I walk. I walk good. I no care about dust. I walk.
Oh. Person stop me walk. Bang. Person no stop me walk. No one stop me walk. I walk good.
I walk out of here.
I not like here. I not like noise. No. Not noise. Person sound. Scream. Yes. Scream. Person see me and scream. I not like. I stop scream. Bang. Scream stop.
More person. More person run and scream. Say “he walk!” I say “I walk good!” but I only make noise. Not word. Why I not make word? I big. I walk good. I talk – talk? Make word is talk? Person go from me. Good. I not like person. Stop me walk. No one stop me walk.
Out. Out door. Door no bang. Door open. Person – bang. Person lie down. Person not move. Good. No stop me walk. No stop me, I walk good.
What is light. Light in sky. Light is hot. Light is hot on me. I know I hair. Lot of hair. Person say “he lot of hair.” Good or not good? Person not say. I not know.
I walk. I walk good. Person scream loud and I go bang and stop person scream. Person run away. All person run away. I walk good with no person.
Dust fall on head. Earth shake when I walk. I walk good. I no like dust but I like outside. I like no person stop me.
Oh. What is – box. Round things. Noise. Scream. No, not scream. Shout. Shout STOP! Bang. Box go flat. Round things go flat. No more STOP.
I remember.
I remember Mother. Mother soft. No bang for Mother. Mother good. I remember Father. Father not soft. Bang for Father. Father bad. I remember brother. Brother soft. Small. No bang for brother. Brother run fast, cry, run, not me. I walk good. I no run. I walk and go – fast. Big legs. Person said “he has big legs. He take long steps.” Other person said “he no walk.” Person wrong. I walk good. I take long steps. I go fast.
I remember sister. Sister soft. No bang for sister. Sister cry and – touch me. Touch hair. Call me “teddy bear.” What is “teddy bear”?
I remember. Mother said “I come and see you sometime.”
Father no say nothing. Father bang lie down no move.
Brother say “It’s a long way.”
I say “What is? Sometime?” I walk. I walk good. I walk fast. I see person run scream hide I see no person to bang no person to stop no person to bring box and round things to stop walk.
I go.
I go find mother. I tired of room. I tired of bars. I tired of person who call me an – im – al and hit me. I bang person. I big. I strong. I bigger now. Mother know me.
I say “it sometime. I come.”
Brother say “it’s a long way.”
I say “it’s a long way to sometime”. No know what is but sound good in head.
No one stop me.
I walk good.
No person to bang.
Sometime. I come.
_________ The End _________
Dorothy Davies |
She is a full member of the Fictioneers as well as editor and contributor to many Static Movement anthologies and guest editor at Red Skies Publishing, too.