beer, Sao cleared his throat and said he had never seen someone like it before.
I am not a someone. Shall we sit, it said pointing to the far corner.
Sao followed and sat across from it.
I am Xhal, it touched his chin, its fingers disproportionately long, I am Ariel.
What is Ariel?
Xhal’s expression remained flat, I am. My people are Ariel.
There are more like you.
Are there more like you?
I am sorry. I did not mean. I have never seen one such as you.
And I you. What are you?
I am a man.
But you are not—Xhal raised a long clawed finger—I smell it in you. You are not.
I am Sao.
Who you are is incidental but what you are is curious.
I could say the same for you.
But you do not because I am a myth but you are real.
I do not understand.
What are you?
Sao drank from his beer and Xhal gestured to the bar and two more beers arrived. Xhal’s was amber and Sao’s was black. They drank but Xhal did not blink or look away from Sao.
Sao cleared his throat, Why are you a myth?
Ariel no longer treat with humans.
Why?
Xhal barked, a low gravelly noise that shook through Sao, Humans have lost their brains. All they think is war and killing. They burn down the world and the wolves grow weak. Do you know where trees come from?
Trees.
Another bark and then laughter, like chimes blown in the wind, You are afraid.
I was a man but now I do not know. I was touched by a wolf.
Why!
Startled, Sao blinked and stared. Xhal’s expression, difficult to read, its mouth open, brow heavy on its abyss eyes. Moments drifted past, tense and confused. Xhal reached across the table and touched Sao’s cheek, cool against the mark’s heat, then pulled its finger back, put it in its mouth.
You are nothing and nowhere.
Sao bit his lip and watched his hands, What will happen to me?
You will transform. You are already. One day, perhaps soon, you will be a demon. The marks will change you. They change you already. Why did it touch you?
I tried to save her life.
Who!?
A wolf.
Xhal closed its eyes tight, its human features tightened, nose curled. Opening its eyes, its voice quiet, I am sorry. It is not easyto be human.
Can I stop it?
No. Your human heart will die inside you and you will be a wolf.
I stopped eating meat.
Did it help?
Yes.
Xhal frowned or smiled and motes drifted from its mouth.
Why would it do this to me?
Do you know the history of your people? Of humans?
Sao shook his head.
Xhal swallowed the rest of its beer, I am sorry. I must go but I will see you again. I know your scent. Remember mine. I will help if I can. Goodbye.
Dumbstruck, Sao followed Xhal with his eyes out the tavern and into the mist.
There were three: the wolf, the little girl, and the mother. The mother’s mask was the mirror of the Ministru’s likeness and she chased the child over the stage, shouting and beating her. The mother took the clothes from the girl and left her naked and alone at downstage. The mother turned her back and the wolf came with a bird that it dropped for the girl to eat. The girl cried and the wolf told her to wait. It returned with fire and cooked the bird for the girl and nudged her to eat. It brought her water and let her suckle from its teats. The girl stood and jumped, stronger than before. Thanking the wolf, she returned to her home, bold, headhigh, shoulders back. At the door she demanded entry but the mother demanded payment. The girl refused and the mother shrugged and opened the door. Inside, the girl walked with pride and purpose. The scene dissolved and when it returned the girl was in a cage within her home. The mother slept and kicked the cage when the girl’s tears woke her. When the mother left, the wolf came and stole food from the mother and gave it to the girl,stole water from the mother and gave it to the girl. The play continued back and forth, the mother taking and the wolf giving until the mother caught the wolf, ripped off its head, and mounted it on the wall, wearing its
I am not a someone. Shall we sit, it said pointing to the far corner.
Sao followed and sat across from it.
I am Xhal, it touched his chin, its fingers disproportionately long, I am Ariel.
What is Ariel?
Xhal’s expression remained flat, I am. My people are Ariel.
There are more like you.
Are there more like you?
I am sorry. I did not mean. I have never seen one such as you.
And I you. What are you?
I am a man.
But you are not—Xhal raised a long clawed finger—I smell it in you. You are not.
I am Sao.
Who you are is incidental but what you are is curious.
I could say the same for you.
But you do not because I am a myth but you are real.
I do not understand.
What are you?
Sao drank from his beer and Xhal gestured to the bar and two more beers arrived. Xhal’s was amber and Sao’s was black. They drank but Xhal did not blink or look away from Sao.
Sao cleared his throat, Why are you a myth?
Ariel no longer treat with humans.
Why?
Xhal barked, a low gravelly noise that shook through Sao, Humans have lost their brains. All they think is war and killing. They burn down the world and the wolves grow weak. Do you know where trees come from?
Trees.
Another bark and then laughter, like chimes blown in the wind, You are afraid.
I was a man but now I do not know. I was touched by a wolf.
Why!
Startled, Sao blinked and stared. Xhal’s expression, difficult to read, its mouth open, brow heavy on its abyss eyes. Moments drifted past, tense and confused. Xhal reached across the table and touched Sao’s cheek, cool against the mark’s heat, then pulled its finger back, put it in its mouth.
You are nothing and nowhere.
Sao bit his lip and watched his hands, What will happen to me?
You will transform. You are already. One day, perhaps soon, you will be a demon. The marks will change you. They change you already. Why did it touch you?
I tried to save her life.
Who!?
A wolf.
Xhal closed its eyes tight, its human features tightened, nose curled. Opening its eyes, its voice quiet, I am sorry. It is not easyto be human.
Can I stop it?
No. Your human heart will die inside you and you will be a wolf.
I stopped eating meat.
Did it help?
Yes.
Xhal frowned or smiled and motes drifted from its mouth.
Why would it do this to me?
Do you know the history of your people? Of humans?
Sao shook his head.
Xhal swallowed the rest of its beer, I am sorry. I must go but I will see you again. I know your scent. Remember mine. I will help if I can. Goodbye.
Dumbstruck, Sao followed Xhal with his eyes out the tavern and into the mist.
There were three: the wolf, the little girl, and the mother. The mother’s mask was the mirror of the Ministru’s likeness and she chased the child over the stage, shouting and beating her. The mother took the clothes from the girl and left her naked and alone at downstage. The mother turned her back and the wolf came with a bird that it dropped for the girl to eat. The girl cried and the wolf told her to wait. It returned with fire and cooked the bird for the girl and nudged her to eat. It brought her water and let her suckle from its teats. The girl stood and jumped, stronger than before. Thanking the wolf, she returned to her home, bold, headhigh, shoulders back. At the door she demanded entry but the mother demanded payment. The girl refused and the mother shrugged and opened the door. Inside, the girl walked with pride and purpose. The scene dissolved and when it returned the girl was in a cage within her home. The mother slept and kicked the cage when the girl’s tears woke her. When the mother left, the wolf came and stole food from the mother and gave it to the girl,stole water from the mother and gave it to the girl. The play continued back and forth, the mother taking and the wolf giving until the mother caught the wolf, ripped off its head, and mounted it on the wall, wearing its
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