Fiction Fragment 4
The fourth part in a series. Please read the first, second and third parts, or it won't make any sense!
Something darkened the reddish-black color of our closed eyelids into a pitch-black -- a shadow was over us, too substantial for clouds. Opening our eyes, we found ourselves face to face with a curious brown hare, tentatively twitching its whiskers just inches away. We looked at each other for some time, none of us moving. It was a large, handsome creature -- it would make a large and handsome dinner. Man and beast considered one another, and as we did, we were -- that is, I suppose, I was -- struck, as I have often been before with some animals, at the peculiar sense of self-awareness I found in its eyes. But this time, there was the additional idea of extroversion -- it seemed to know me, and I don't think it's my sentimentality speaking when I say that I -- for a short moment -- thought I found sympathy for my trouble in its deep black eyes. Nonetheless, it appeared to intuit the culinary plan I had for its future, for he aprubtly turned tail and bounded away across the meadow.
***
Just as we reached the clearing, the blanket of clouds which had covered us constantly since our troubles began thinned a little, allowing the long-lost sun to warm us a bit for the first time in weeks. Its rays brightened the grass around us, painting the picture of a soft, dry and grassy bed. So welcome was this sight after weeks of damp and cramped woodland, and so weak were we from our search and involuntary fast, that we were unable to resist the urge to lie down.
We planned to stay only as long as the sunlight lasted, knowing full well that finding food was far more urgent than rest. We lay on our side, eyes level with the short grass. A few adventurous ants climbed onto our arms and wandered aimlessly. They too were looking for food. Flies landed on our legs and left again, mostly uninterested in the huge intrusion on their tranquil lawn. We closed our eyes and shortly the ground was swaying and wobbling below us like a crib or sailing ship as we slowly began sinking into sleep. But --
Something darkened the reddish-black color of our closed eyelids into a pitch-black -- a shadow was over us, too substantial for clouds. Opening our eyes, we found ourselves face to face with a curious brown hare, tentatively twitching its whiskers just inches away. We looked at each other for some time, none of us moving. It was a large, handsome creature -- it would make a large and handsome dinner. Man and beast considered one another, and as we did, we were -- that is, I suppose, I was -- struck, as I have often been before with some animals, at the peculiar sense of self-awareness I found in its eyes. But this time, there was the additional idea of extroversion -- it seemed to know me, and I don't think it's my sentimentality speaking when I say that I -- for a short moment -- thought I found sympathy for my trouble in its deep black eyes. Nonetheless, it appeared to intuit the culinary plan I had for its future, for he aprubtly turned tail and bounded away across the meadow.
posted by Matthew at 11:34 AM
2 Comments:
I am still wondering who the "we" consists of and their relationship to each other to start this series fragments together. Will that be enlightened in fragment 5? 6? 7?
series OF fragments---chalk it up to being 2:52 am in England
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