Killing With the Edge of the Moon by Attanasio A.A

Author:Attanasio, A.A. [Attanasio, A.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

PART TWO

KILLING WITH THE

EDGE OF THE MOON

The moon leaks dreams into the awful darkness of

the world. These lost dreams look to mortal eyes like

starshine, stellar smoke, the Milky Way. The barge

of the dead finds its path by that light across the bro-

ken waters. In its wake, faerie gather up the spilled

dreams of the moon with wild pumpkin lanterns.

The shadows that live by that glow cavort upon

the grooved walls of our brains as silhouette pup-

pets—lust and terror jerked awake by faerie strings.

Who are the faerie? They play the human heart like a

harp. If we hear their music on the thin roads of the

wind, we must not listen. If we listen, we slip out of

ourselves and down the roads of the wind into their

brighter world, where our shadows die.

INTERLUDE:

WALKING THE BLACK DOG

Trees are doorways to the underworld.

—Edgar Figge, The Alphabet of Trees

Chet shambled aimlessly through sunny woods. For hours, he had wan-

dered among the forest's primeval chambers, first by moonlight, then under

the twisted silk scarves of dawn, and now with daylight drifting through

the trees. The whole time, he had been alert to bestial cries on the wind,

fearful that the Theena Shee would pounce on him again.

He knew he should rest, even sleep if he could find a covert where he felt

safe, yet he experienced no fatigue. His body felt light as smoke—far lighter

than his mind, which burdened him with questions: What was this place of

giant, mossy trees and aromatic humus? Who were the Theena Shee, those

animals disguised as people? A n d why was he here in the first place? Did he

actually expect to rescue Flannery? She didn't look like she needed rescu-

ing: she had looked happy— wildly happy—dancing with the Theena Shee.

Nedra had said he had to win her back to the human world with his love.

But by what magic did he hope to inspire her to love him? He might as well

try to impress her by plucking sunbeams for a bouquet or taking down the

moon for a charm.

A gentle wind soughed across the forest canopy glittering with bird

chirps and whistles. He stopped in his tracks. From down a corridor of

pines, a muscular black dog watched him. He returned the bitch's stare.

"Come here, girl." He whistled softly. "Come here."

The large black dog approached slowly.

"That's a good dog." Chet bent down and extended his hand for the

animal. " C o m e on."

The dog stopped just out of reach.

"You live around here?" he queried with good cheer, glad to meet an-

other m a m m a l in these desolate woods. "You know where I am? I've been

walking for hours, dog. I'm lost. I'm cold. A n d I'm hungry."

The massive canine watched him fixedly with eyes of crushed dia-

monds.

"You don't look cold or hungry," Chet noted with comradely concern.

"Any idea where the hell I a m ? "

The black dog turned and strolled away, then paused to look back.

"Sure." Chet straightened tiredly. "Why not?"

The black dog walked with strong purpose down the avenue of pines,

and Chet trailed after.

The pines eventually thinned to a grove of spindle trees threaded with

sunlight.

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