(no subject)
"Come on then." I said.
She moved along just under my elbow. We went on. The houses all seemed empty. Not a soul in sight. A sort of breathlessness that emtpy houses have. Yet they couldn't have all been empty. All the different rooms, if you could just slice the walls away all of a sudden Madam, your daughter, if you please. No, Madam, for God's sake, your daughter. She moved along just under my elbow, and then the last house played out and the road curved out of sight beyond a wall, following the river. The woman was emerging from the broken gate, with a shawl over her head and clutched under her chin. THe road curved on, empty. I found a coin and gave it to the little girl. "Good-bye, sister." I said. Then I ran.
I ran fast, not looking back. Just before the road curved away I looked back. She stood in the road, a small figure clasping a loaf of bread to her little dress, her eyes still black and unwinking. I ran on.
She moved along just under my elbow. We went on. The houses all seemed empty. Not a soul in sight. A sort of breathlessness that emtpy houses have. Yet they couldn't have all been empty. All the different rooms, if you could just slice the walls away all of a sudden Madam, your daughter, if you please. No, Madam, for God's sake, your daughter. She moved along just under my elbow, and then the last house played out and the road curved out of sight beyond a wall, following the river. The woman was emerging from the broken gate, with a shawl over her head and clutched under her chin. THe road curved on, empty. I found a coin and gave it to the little girl. "Good-bye, sister." I said. Then I ran.
I ran fast, not looking back. Just before the road curved away I looked back. She stood in the road, a small figure clasping a loaf of bread to her little dress, her eyes still black and unwinking. I ran on.