Evan followed the couple from the
restaurant to the movie theater. They were laughing and leaning their heads
together with an intimacy he never felt with people. Their fingers played,
touching, sliding together then free, finally interlacing and clasping the
palms tight. He wondered how long they had been together. He could not tell if
they were first falling in love, or long-time lovers. He wasn’t good at reading
human body language.
His hand brushed the outside of
his long coat, and he felt several stirrings, small bumps against his fingers.
He slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the glide of scales curling into
his palm. He didn’t need to see to read that body language. Contented warmth.
Security.
He stood in line behind them to
buy tickets. The line shuffled together in that odd synchronicity of strangers.
They bought popcorn and a soda in the lobby, and he lingered near a display of
some new animated children’s thing. Whatever. He had no interest in that sort
of thing.
He had brought several of his own
“babies” to watch the latest Disney nature films in the theater. There were so
few people, he had let them all climb out and rest on his shoulders and arms.
No one even noticed. He knew, because when people noticed, they usually made a
fuss.
This was no Disney film tonight.
Cars, girls, explosions. He couldn’t keep it all straight. Who were the good
guys? Were there any good guys? He sat in the row behind them and watched them
feed each other popcorn.
He reached into one of the
custom-sewn pockets inside his coat and waited patiently to feel a small weight
in his hand. He slowly curled his fingers together and pulled it out. He rested
his loose fist on his thigh, giving off body heat and energy. When he felt the
restless thumps against his fingers, he knew it was time.
He leaned forward slightly,
stretching his arm forward until his fist touched the seat rest between them.
He opened his fingers, and the small pink and white snake thrashed in his palm
for a moment before it flicked its tail and slid across his fingers to the cool
wood. He leaned back.
The movie ended. He stood while
the credits ran and rested his hand where the woman’s hair fell across the top
of the seat. He tapped his forefinger three times against the wood. Finally, he
felt the little scales slide against his fingers, curling once more into his
palm. He brushed the woman’s hair as he pulled his hand away and into his
pocket. She didn’t move.
Evan walked away.
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Dogs in house
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Houdini, Eggs
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Time writing:
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~30 minutes
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September word
count:
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10,666
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