За разломом орла

           Wewerestillholdinghands,twoloverssharinganintimacy. Theneverythingchanged. 

           Itwasjustaflash,justaglimpse. Liketheviewofanunfamiliarroomifyouturnthelightsonforaninstant. Shapesandforms,relationshipsbetweenthings. Isawcaverns,wormed-outandlinked,andthingsmovingthroughthosecaverns,bustlingalongwiththefranticindustryofmolesortermites. Thethingswereseldomalike,eveninthemostsuperficialsense. Somemovedviapropulsivewavesofmultipleclawedlimbs. Somewriggled,smoothplaquesofcarapacegrindingagainsttheglassyrockofthetunnels. 

           Thethingsmovedbetweencavesinwhichlaythehulksofships,almostalltoostrangetodescribe. 

           Andsomewheredistant,somewhereneartheheartoftherock,inamatriarchalchamberallofitsown, somethingdrummedoutmessagestoitscompanionsandhelpers,stifflyarticulated,antler-likeforelimbsbeatingagainststretchedtympanaoffinelyveinedskin, somethingthathadbeenwaitinghereforeternities, somethingthatwantednothingmorethantocareforthesoulsofthelost. 

           *** 

           Katerina’swithSuzywhentheypullmeoutofthesurgetank. 

           It’sbad—oneoftheworstrevivalsI’veevergonethrough. Ifeelasifeveryveininmybodyhasbeenfilledwithfinelypowderedglass. Foramoment,alongmoment,eventheideaofbreathingseemsinsurmountablydifficult,toohard,toopainfuleventocontemplate. 

           Butitpasses,asitalwayspasses. 

           AfterawhileIcannotonlybreathe,Icanmoveandtalk. 

           "Where—"