It was dark when they first came. The clutch of us nestled in the spaces between the louvers and the nooks of the window frame. Lizards seldom abide each other's company, but there'd been rumors of a strange new threat that had driven others from as far as the hinges in the front door. Many had run scared and even more had gone missing, so we temporarily gathered together for protection. When the sun came up the light would warm our blood and we would part ways as lizards ought to.
As I remember it there were no signs of their approach. No scurrying, no hissing, not even breathing or heartbeats. From where we were the shadows of the trees in the back yard shifted behind the louvers, blown by the night breeze. My need for sleep had long overcome my vigilance, but I opened one eye and spied three-toes sprawled on the glass, his silhouette contrasting against the sparkling glass louvers and shifting shadows. I opened the other eye to get a better look and noticed that one of the shadows failed to move with the others. I tried to hiss out a warning three-toes, tried to tell him to take off running, but a terrible chirping broke the night's silence and swallowed my frightened rasping.
Just as the other lizards awoke and sluggishly stirred, the creatures attacked. They looked like lizards for the most part, but their four legs had short round toes. Their skin was pale, so pale that they blended into the white walls and were invisible from afar. They didn't shoot in a straight line, but rather took jagged steps toward us, changing directions like raindrops falling down a window pane. When they came close enough, their veins shone out through their skin and each of them had a quivering, black heart that throbbed excitedly as their jaws snapped hungrily at whatever was nearest. We saw the ghostly white creatures seize our brethren, holding them tight in their maws as they proceeded to swallow them hole. It became obvious that they were more than just lizards. They were predators!
Three toes hardly had a chance. They were upon him before he knew it and as the cold blood in his veins moved like tree sap toward the ends of his limbs, the attackers already had his tail. One of them had it in its grasp and the tail writhed of ts own volition. Another of the ravenous lizards seized the bleeding end and while the two squabbled over the dropped tail, Three-toes made a run for it. He'd hardly started off running when another of the creatures waiting in the shadows had him held by the throat.
Some of the others had escaped. I could see wood-brown scurrying through a hole in the screen and was about to make a dash for it when that sound froze me once again. This time the clear, startling chirp erupted from right behind me. It reminded me of the grackles that stalked the back yards, only to swoop in on an unsuspecting lizard bringing a flurry of inky black feathers and an even darker fate. That sound meant death to us all, and when the others echoed the initial cry from all directions, I felt my blood freeze and my joints seize up.
I didn't watch, like some would have you believe, but I didn't run away either. I cowered when I felt the tug and heard them slurping and gnashing, and I squeezed my eyes shut as they devoured my tail. When I opened my eyes again the sun had risen and the light warmed my blood, but I still felt weak. The creatures were nowhere to be seen, but i knew it wasn't safe. Not here. Not anymore. These new creatures had taken my home, but spared my life. Now I would have to brave the grackles and cats in the back yard, and with only half a tail to distract them with.
As I remember it there were no signs of their approach. No scurrying, no hissing, not even breathing or heartbeats. From where we were the shadows of the trees in the back yard shifted behind the louvers, blown by the night breeze. My need for sleep had long overcome my vigilance, but I opened one eye and spied three-toes sprawled on the glass, his silhouette contrasting against the sparkling glass louvers and shifting shadows. I opened the other eye to get a better look and noticed that one of the shadows failed to move with the others. I tried to hiss out a warning three-toes, tried to tell him to take off running, but a terrible chirping broke the night's silence and swallowed my frightened rasping.
Just as the other lizards awoke and sluggishly stirred, the creatures attacked. They looked like lizards for the most part, but their four legs had short round toes. Their skin was pale, so pale that they blended into the white walls and were invisible from afar. They didn't shoot in a straight line, but rather took jagged steps toward us, changing directions like raindrops falling down a window pane. When they came close enough, their veins shone out through their skin and each of them had a quivering, black heart that throbbed excitedly as their jaws snapped hungrily at whatever was nearest. We saw the ghostly white creatures seize our brethren, holding them tight in their maws as they proceeded to swallow them hole. It became obvious that they were more than just lizards. They were predators!
Three toes hardly had a chance. They were upon him before he knew it and as the cold blood in his veins moved like tree sap toward the ends of his limbs, the attackers already had his tail. One of them had it in its grasp and the tail writhed of ts own volition. Another of the ravenous lizards seized the bleeding end and while the two squabbled over the dropped tail, Three-toes made a run for it. He'd hardly started off running when another of the creatures waiting in the shadows had him held by the throat.
Some of the others had escaped. I could see wood-brown scurrying through a hole in the screen and was about to make a dash for it when that sound froze me once again. This time the clear, startling chirp erupted from right behind me. It reminded me of the grackles that stalked the back yards, only to swoop in on an unsuspecting lizard bringing a flurry of inky black feathers and an even darker fate. That sound meant death to us all, and when the others echoed the initial cry from all directions, I felt my blood freeze and my joints seize up.
I didn't watch, like some would have you believe, but I didn't run away either. I cowered when I felt the tug and heard them slurping and gnashing, and I squeezed my eyes shut as they devoured my tail. When I opened my eyes again the sun had risen and the light warmed my blood, but I still felt weak. The creatures were nowhere to be seen, but i knew it wasn't safe. Not here. Not anymore. These new creatures had taken my home, but spared my life. Now I would have to brave the grackles and cats in the back yard, and with only half a tail to distract them with.
1 comments:
i am interested in getting in conversation with you as a contributing voice from Belize. If you are interested send an email:
holly@arcmagazineonline.com
blessings
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