Ariel Lightbody sits on a listing
bench, digging in her mind. Ada leans into the dark-turning sky. She
whispers, Jesus, stooping. Look over and see these feet. Pull the cloth
off Death and get up close. Socco walks stealthily toward Ada, who peeks
between her fingers. In Death's eye, nothing there. Death's empty. Fingers
poke pitch, and I run. But Death is gaining on me. Pretty Mary is
hypnotized. Her dramatic husband tears loose a piece of the devastated
patio. He raises it over Ada's head. This time she raises her cane to
strike. Socco smashes concrete to the ground. Like that! I smash Death to
dust. Like chalk, man, I smash his bones. I faint. When I come to, I'm on
my ceiling. Hands like bombs to be defused. He goes inside my
body.He raises my hand. He is inside me. He's me. Praise my best
cigar! Three cheers for Socco and Jesus! Pretty Mary claps her hands, but
Socco motions quiet. All eyes fix in the same direction. Like things
imagined, everyone disappears. Give your souls to Jesus, Godfrey bellows
from above, and Pretty Mary knows he means it. He staggers to the
dispensary, lit by flickering daguerreotype of dying television, cursing
hippies on the news. Clyfford Still says watch TV and you miss the
angel.