when the tides swell so high they eject the whales beyond the beaches. Take a clean, starched sheet and drape it over one their carcasses. You will need to keep it free of vultures for three to five days, but two to seven is still natural. Then slide in through the blowhole—this will be a tight fit. Become comfortable in this room, learn how far you can stretch your limbs, what your voice sounds like bouncing off the walls. You will be expected to take on certain responsibilities now.
Francesco Grisanzio is the author of Stories and Centauries, forthcoming from Strange Machine Books. His work has also appeared in Front Porch, No Dear, and a Greying Ghost pamphlet, among other publications.