Three Devils

or The Witching Hour on and Oddly Trodden Path Before the Early Blue Rises on the World

Photo by Gabriel on Unsplash

Returns from Hell are warranted.

Electrons move through valence shells. Return to The Source.

It’s late night and early morning, both of them.

Devils scour the tunnel in the dark.

Green
The kid
15, 16? Weak. Not yet gruffed by the days-in days-outs
The kid sits on the curb at the 7-Eleven with his head in his hands
looking distraught
maybe drunk
maybe something else
You — You’re emboldened by your facade of wiserelder
You – think to ask “yo, you good?” — wise medicine man)
You don’t.
Leave him on the curb to find his way

Red
Work is going well for you what do you do? eyes blazing
I’m an RN give a short smile look down and pay
Oh yes keep working so you could get your alcohol and nicotine!
alcohol and nicotine!
alcohol and nicotine!
eyes blazing he’s surely mad
I give a short laugh Haha, how’s work going for you
silence
silence and nothing just big crazy eyes like marbles in a cursed hall
Leave
Green devil is getting in some car. You missed your chance to play Messiah.
It wasn’t meant for me I say in my head not fully consciously but more the idea
Put the car into first and play music but don’t hear it
Then bring the windows down but don’t recognize the wind either
People on the road so late and so early, they surely must be mad

Get back
Sit in the car for a short while. windows down ignition off
No music, no wind. The pressure in the air is a dust devil enveloping the West
Bird sounds. Expected
Footsteps out of view. Third time and twice in two days. Not expected
and something surely not right like a crooked smile from a corvid
I stare at the fenced perimeter in the deep dark between night and day with no fear like I cast out Wendigos for sport
silence
silence
Nothing happened
I say I’m not mad: I’m not mad
I go inside

I think about Blue
Showing up as he pleases
I shoo him away
silence
silence