Pearl

by Josh Malerman

Pearl was sitting on the carpet in the hall, staring at him with that lazy eye.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT

And the pigs snorted till their snorts sounded like the laughter of old, sick men, seated around a filthy table, ridiculing the folly of youth.

I will not be slaughtered like my mother was, I will not be used for fuel, I will not die here in my own kingdom, I am king here I will not die I will not die I won’t.

It scared him, now, imagining animals smarter than himself in the dark.