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III

I watched them move amongst us, flint in their eyes. Watched them grab us, handle us with no care. Good. Bad. Good. Bad. Like we were the pigs. Long fingers, sinking into our flesh as they sorted us. I watched the men with pointed guns. They smiled too much, but each one of them had nice, solid arms. Everything about those armed men was so primal.
They were more alive then our soft cries and the occasional shrieks of names.
The man beside me was quiet in his black suit. I am sure he was cold.
"Are you cold?" I asked him.
And his eyes turned on me.
"I do not want to live this. I do not want to live this," he spoke.
I watched him curl in his hands, slowly. More a prayer than an act of strength.
I looked around me.
The cleanness of grey.
The dirt already in the hair of women, clothes, tattered. One young girl with a breast exposed.
And the baby left where it lay. Stepped on. Pushed into the earth.
It was too much to see, so I looked at my own hands. I looked at my husband's cane and then I closed my eyes. I had brought the cane for my own reasons. But it was the love that was harder to let go of.
When I opened my eyes, I pushed the cane towards the man in the suit.
"Do your best with it," I whispered to him.
And I watched him cry.
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Comments

Jennifer said…
Wonderful Q. I'm so glad you have this gift so that we can all enjoy it.
Tuesday, 2 November 2004 at 08:50:00 GMT-5
Lilypad John said…
Heya, Queenie. I just want to say that I am really glad that you posted on my blog because I never would have been able to find your blog! Your blog is definitely a gem and I really enjoy your writing style. I have been toying with the idea of starting my own blog to do the whole "blog your novel" thing, and you have definitely been an inspiration. All I have to say is bravo and keep it up because I will be back!
Wednesday, 3 November 2004 at 20:35:00 GMT-5
Queenie said…
Mr. Forrest, sir. You are way too kind.

Q
Wednesday, 3 November 2004 at 21:49:00 GMT-5
Terrible lie said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Wednesday, 3 November 2004 at 22:18:00 GMT-5
Terrible lie said…
What?.....Are you offened that i left that?
Thursday, 4 November 2004 at 15:01:00 GMT-5
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