handed down from unknown ages, a secret locket carried from birth, an inscribed angelic amulet –barely noticeable, but always with him its ancestral origin was unknown, dangled above the baby boy, a spinning mobile before his wide eyes watching and calling, the boy cooed at it and heard an ancient name then, now, and to come he rode his tricycle down a big hill, a dump truck was there at the bottom he could not stop the spinning pedals with bare feet. around his neck, it rested on the five-year-old’s heaving chest, as he flew over his handlebars, sinking deep into the searing hot asphalt. blood-curdling screeches, his aunt Helen ran kicking off high heels to extract his tarred, quivering body, covered with blisters and 3rd degree burns. the locket was there too soothing him, anointing him with his secret name the foolish young soldier raced through the California desert in a borrowed pickup truck. so sure of himself, he gulped another swig of tequila, saw double, and passed out. the neglected childhood trinket still suspended against his heart, –it whispered his name again as the lights spun wild and went out. he woke hours later, sprawled on the desert sand, unharmed, he remembered it calling his name again and again just before all went black. uncountable times it flashed his real name at the edges of his consciousness, a pet name known and inscribed on his shining, only on his shining his old gray head could no longer remember. his labored breathing was not expected to last till morning. as he passed through the portal, the silver cord snapped. he heard his shining name called from the other side. 2.4 10/10
His Shining
26
Mar