poison

a twenty-minute work by chris.

we kicked the last bit of poison into their drinking well. it had come
to us in chunks of yellow, like sulfur, but fatal. it dropped into the
water making a plopping sound, then fizzed a little bit, then dissolved
into the water. you see, that's the way with these people.

"you know," you said. "human beings are excellent at survival. that
probably won't do anything." always so positive.

"that could kill a hundred elephants. this is one family. they're going
to die."

"i'm just saying, it could happen." (it couldn't) "look, they're sitting
down for dinner."

i looked into their windows. they were having roast beef.

"could you get everyone some water?" karen said.

jack went to the sink and began filling five glasses with water. it came
out of a water purifier attached to the faucet.

you looked at me and raised your eyebrows, alarmed.

"don't worry," i said. "can't filter it. too much."

you nodded and looked back. we were sharing a nestle crunch.

as he put the last glass on the table he took a sip of it, then helped
bring the food in.

when they began working on the dessert, they all started feeling a little
weak. halfway through dessert, their faces were all smashed into their
pie, except jack's. he had jumped up from his seat to see what was wrong
with everyone else, but the blood rushed to his head with the poison and
he fainted. then, a little later, he died.

i crumpled up the paper and tin foil and put it in my pocket. we stood
up and brushed our hands on our pants. you kissed me. on the cheek.

"i'm hungry," you said.

"okay." we walked away from the house in search of real sustenance.

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