The Queen of the Tyrant Lizards

While it was published on Halloween, this story will appear for Epiphany in the upcoming anthology from Castalia House, THE BOOK OF FEASTS AND SEASONS. Epiphany is the traditional date of the Wedding at Canae, as well as of the Canticle of Simeon, Nunc Dimittis, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word

* * *

There was no time. That is the first thing to remember. I did not know what was about to happen. That is the second thing to remember.

Imagine a time line. Select a zero point. To one side is an infinity of tomorrow, starting with positive one. To the other is an infinity of yesterday, starting with negative one. But between the positive and the negative infinities, what is there? Less than nothing, less than half of nothing, a pinprick, a dot, a point, less time than it takes to decide to murder them all.

I look into the first moment of negative one: one second ago.

Imagine a frozen moment. The glass of the chapel doors is breaking. Men in tall white hoods carrying shotguns, pistols, hunting rifles are firing. The guests are screaming, falling to the floor. And you, my love, have thrown your tall, strong body over mine, selflessly, lovingly, without a moment to think, without a moment to decide. I am feeling your body shuddering, not with passion as you embrace me, as I yield to your embrace, as we are falling; you shudder with the impact of bullets and buckshot throwing your blood, your living blood, your warmth, in sprays like Rorschach blots across the dark expanse of the expensive tuxedo I picked out, the dark expanse of your warm skin, and across the white satin of my wedding dress, the dress my many mothers sewed.

I cannot see you as you die. You are in the way.

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Originally published at John C. Wright's Journal. Please leave any comments there.