The Animals in That Country

by Laura Jean McKay

Then she goes back to staring at the ants and takes care of exactly fucking nothing.

Even while her body is bursting with messages, there are still things in her head. Dingo things I don’t know about. I’ve got human things she doesn’t know about either,

I reach out for Sue. For Kimberly. For Lee. The rat eyes the room, sees there isn’t anyone else. Knows my want is in the past. There’s only me.