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Don't mention


by Darryl Price


it. They'll go crazy. I'm telling you. 
It's the one thing they fear the most. The 
damned mirror they thought they broke so long 
ago, but here it is, completely 

restored, and looking everywhere for 
just them. Even the word makes them feel 
quite sick as a lost dog. And so here 
we are, with our ragged singing art 

at their closed and locked door, flaunting it 
in their stony faces again. No 
wonder they hate us. What's so wrong with 
possession, they scream, of everything? 

It's an illusion. It only exists 
in one flying realm, and then only 
as one vanishing mirage. The 
rest of the time it's a wide open 

mouth with many sharp teeth inviting 
you on a magic carpet ride. You 
get the horrible picture. The thing 
coming that wants to devour you isn't 

your unmentionable thing. Wow. 
Even your broken boredom's monster 
has ice on its fur and between its 
toes. Time to take cover. But don't mention 

you know what. It will turn them into 
something you won't recognize as 
human. Hey, you in there, can you hear 
me inside your swollen head? It's not 

after you to harm you. Say its name 
and see what happens. They prefer lonely 
lies. What good is a hidden heart?
Oops, I forgot. That was close. Don't mention 

it, not even in proximity.  
Don't mention it. We're trying to 
live forever. Can't you see we're doing 
all we can to be the first to
 
cheat death with its own playing card? But 
I mention it because your castle
is on fire. It's the only answer 
you've not tried to con out of money.
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