Ascent by Matt Bialer Read Free Book Online Page B

the bridge was out
    The bridge was out
    Original bridge long gone
    But the replacement
    Built in 1901
    Supposedly home
    To her ghost
    Phantom trains
    Seen and heard
    —Not another phantom choo choo
    We’re missing a centerpiece Eric
    We need a really good story
    Suppressed technology
    Tesla
    Free energy
    Ancient Astronauts
    Anti-gravity
    Vimana aircraft of ancient
    One hour films about hauntings
    Each of the 50 states
    Now it’s Iowa’s turn
    A lot of stories
    About cursed angels in cemeteries
    Of all states
    Have highest percentage
    Of residents
    Indifferent to ghost stories
    —Why are they so jaded?
    —Honey I don’t think a boat
    —Will be big enough for all of your cousins
    I don’t think that was meant for me
    —Oops that was for Lori
    —Am multi-tasking
    His fiancé
    Wants to get married
    On a ship
    That would sail
    Around the
    Too small
    To accommodate everyone
    And to transfer
    From a ceremony
    To a reception
    As smooth and quickly
    As they’d hope
    —I just want a simple Jewish wedding
    —And a great party with good music
    —That’s all
    —I don’t care about the flowers
    —And her relatives I don’t know
    —Just want it to be over
    —Over
    Secret societies
    The Knights Templar
    Time travel
    Cryptozoology
    Yeti, Skunk apes
    Sasquatch
    One daughter Julie
    Home from school
    17 years old
    Blonde
    High wasted skinny jeans
    Blue crop top
    Been pouting
    Not eating much
    Not doing homework
    Stares out the window
    Plays with her hair
    Keep asking
    What’s wrong Julie?
    What’s wrong?
    Looks down
    Shakes her head
    We think it’s her boyfriend Nick
    Acting strange
    Distant
    Doesn’t know
    What’s going on
    Been together 9 months
    Not telling us much
    Tricksters
    Men in Black
    Skinwalkers
    Shape Shifters
    Jokers
    —Hey I found something
    —It’s a cool story
    Old newspaper clipping
    From 1903
    Daily News
    That Winged Monster
    Town of
    Badly Wrought Up
    ***
    And to turn them
    And to turn them
    A great form
    Of some kind
    Peter has proof
    That the demon exists
    Huge wings
    Of skin
    A great form
    Reveals itself
    Builds a wall
    Around the footprint
    With cardboard strip
    And paper clip
    Hold the track
    Two parts plaster of Paris
    One part water
    Dries quickly
    The footprint
    A great form
    Of some kind
    I have proof
    I have proof
    Of the monster
    And to turn them
    From the darkness
    Night of
    October 2 nd
    Soft winds
    Rain from the North
    Quiet
    OV White
    Sleeping
    Second story room
    Fisher and White Hardware and Furniture
    Jolted awake
    Abrupt rasping sound
    Outside his window
    Loud chocking
    Liquid
    Heard the stories
    In town
    About the mysterious monster
    The demon
    He held the cast
    Of its footprint
    3 toes
    Like a demon
    A great form
    Of some kind
    A flash of light
    In the darkness
    I behold Satan
    As lightning falls from heaven
    To open their eyes
    And to turn them
    From the darkness
    To the light
    Grabs his Browning Auto-5
    Self-loading shotgun
    Louder gurgling sounds
    Rasping
    Opens his window
    Peers out
    Into the darkness and rain
    Nothing
    Mist
    But his eyes adjust
    Looks up
    A dark figure
    Great form
    Of some kind
    Shadow
    On the cross member
    Of the telephone pole
    Runs downstairs
    Stares up
    Thing has wings
    A gargoyle
    Takes deliberate aim
    Slow exhalation
    Pulls the trigger
    Fires
    Does not fall to the ground
    Does not fall to the ground
    Shines its light
    On him
    Like a headlight
    Shot from his rifle
    No effect
    Only woke it up
    Powerful musky
    Sulfur odor
    Overwhelming
    Staggers to the ground
    Neighbor Sidney Gregg
    Heard the shot
    Runs to the door
    See what commotion
    Is about
    Sees White
    Trying to crawl away
    Monster descends
    From telephone pole
    Using huge beak
    For grip
    Descends
    Upon reaching ground
    Stands erect
    8 feet tall
    Lights from its forehead
    So bright
    Like a search beam
    Darts about
    Flaps its
    Featherless wings
    Sound of morning mail train
    In the distance
    Pulling into town
    Starts to run
    On all four feet
    Direction of old coal mine
    Wings