Human Being

Part 4

When brightness came again, she wanted to know if he was interested in taking a bath? Getting clean. If he wanted, she would figure out a way he could bathe in the creek or do a set up in the basement. He was taller than her basement. A shower was out of the question.

The blobs across the creek were back. Watching.

He finally picked up the paper she brought him. At first he was angry. There was nothing but scribbles on the paper. Scribbles and holes. Over time images formed. Flowers. Trees. Chico. He gave the page with Chico on it to her. She cried.

She brought him more paper and different pencils.

He started drawing things he didn’t know. Where did these come from? A baby boy and a baby girl. Buildings he had no idea where they were. Cars and trucks he’d never seen. Landscapes where he’d never been.

The blobs across the creek watched him.

He didn’t take the woman up on the offer of a bath. Water (other than rain) frightened him.

The woman was sitting outside his nest, looking at the paper. Chico sitting next to him. She laid the pages with the babies on the ground side by side. “Please don’t destroy these. They’re beautiful.”

He thought. Words filled his mind. His throat tickled. He squeaked in a hushed tone, “they – destroyed – me.” Each word was said with deliberate slowness.

The woman looked at him in shock.

Where did that come from? Silent tears rolled down his cheeks. Those few words made his throat and head hurt. He handed Chico to her. Scooped up the papers before retreating back into his nest.

The woman was gone. The blobs across the creek were back. Shrieking filled his head. He poked his head outside his nest. They were hurling objects at him. Several hit him before he could hide in the safety of his nest.

“What is wrong with you?” The woman roared. Where did she come from? He thought she was gone. “Jesus is watching you!” She continued.

He heard a sound, leapt from his nest standing in front of the woman. Grabbing her by the shoulders. As he touched her she gasped. An explosion filled the void. He inhaled deeply as he sank to his knees. Jaye looked up to see her neighbors running back toward their house. The man was carrying a shotgun.

“Thank you,” he squeezed the words out. Patted his chest as he sank to the ground,“Mac.”

The End

Human Being