amaze me machine. | home
elliot.
me among the twenty seven other
kids in the dark room
feeling the vibration of Robby's
massive dog, turner
who got hit by a car back
in febuary of 1967, while
sleeping in the middle of
the road… and to
this day has not laid down
to rest
me and him, the only one's
awake.
Thirty four gallons of water
and three fish
in the smallest room of
the biggest restaurant lighthouse
in Cape Cod
turner looks at the fish, and I
do too.
Our thoughts are deviant,
he wants to eat them
I want to swim with them
same difference to us
shhh.
don't breathe heavy,
someone rolled over.
they'll wake up and ask us
why we're awake, and we'll tell
them because of the fish.
they won't like that.
this afternoon they asked
me why I wouldn't get in the
water with them. I said I didn't
feel like it.
I am terrified
of the water.
Just like turner is terrified of sleep.
So I guess we have molded
ourselves into outcasts
huh turner.
Nobody wants to be like us
anymore.
I don't want to be like us.
but we have to, because
if we stop then we might get
hurt,
and nobody wants to get hurt.
Turner gave me a worried look
"don't lie to me anymore."
His eyes reflected the light
of the fish tank.
Everything else was dark,
and quiet.
I lie still
feeling the vibration
of turner's footsteps
and dreaming of swimming
with the fish,
as turner dreams
of dreaming again.
We both turn our looks from
the fish to each other
and realize just how
scared we are.