Deadly Quiet

by Russell Bennetts and Rauan Klassnik

1.

As they walked, his dog transformed, as it was wont to do, into one thing and then, quickly, into another. An old woman. A tree. A rat. A rat-a-tat-tat.

2.

Is the Universe indifferent to all this?
Can Tathāgata be found playing Deadly Premonition?
Would Beelzebub be a disappointment in bed?

3.

Rain sent the dog ballistic. Machine guns. Tanks. Trenches. Barbed wire. And hordes of rats. Horses death rattling. Groaning. And a butterfly bruised on a skull.

6.66

 

7.

A vertical cliff. A horizontal field. A nametag that doesn’t say your name, but the name of the first boy you ever fell in love with.

7.1

A 17-ton truck in the coolsunsilence.

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About the Authors:

Russell Bennetts is the editor of Berfrois.

Rauan Klassnik’s new book, The Moon’s Jaw, was released earlier this year from Black Ocean. His first book, Holy Land (also from Black Ocean), was published in 2008. Rauan grew up in South Africa, then lived in Dallas, Texas (yeah, yeah) and now resides with his wife in the quiet suburbs of lovely Seattle.