Lincoln in the Bardo

by George Saunders

From within the train came the familiar yet always bone-chilling firesound of the matterlightblooming phenomenon. The train began to vibrate, the hogs to squeal. I threw myself down on the good and blessed earth, soon to be mine no more. The train exploded. Seats rained down, hog-parts rained down, menus rained down, luggage, newspapers, umbrellas, ladies’ hats, men’s shoes, cheap novels rained down. Rising to my knees I saw that, where the train had been, was now only the dreaded iron fence. And there was nothing left for me to do, but go. Though the things of the world were strong with me still. Such as, for example: a gaggle of children trudging through a side-blown December flurry; a friendly match-share beneath some collision-tilted streetlight; a frozen clock, bird-visited within its high tower; cold water from a tin jug; toweling off one’s clinging shirt post–June rain. Pearls, rags, buttons, rug-tuft, beer-froth. Someone’s kind wishes for you; someone remembering to write; someone noticing that you are not at all at ease. A bloody roast death-red on a platter; a hedgetop under-hand as you flee late to some chalk-and-woodfire-smelling schoolhouse. Geese above, clover below, the sound of one’s own breath when winded. The way a moistness in the eye will blur a field of stars; the sore place on the shoulder a resting toboggan makes; writing one’s beloved’s name upon a frosted window with a gloved finger. Tying a shoe; tying a knot on a package; a mouth on yours; a hand...

As always at Sun’s rising, the two realms Merg’d, and all that was true in Ours, became true in Theirs: all the Stones, Trees, Shrubs, Hills, Valleys, Streams, Pondlets, Marshes, Patches of Light & Shade, merg’d, and were the same Betwixt the two Environs, and you could not have told one Realm from the other. Much that was New & Strange & Unnerving had occurr’d this night. We Three Bachelors had watched it all unfold from On-High: safe, separate, & Free—the way we liked it. I enjoined my young Charges that we must now beat a hasty Retreat to our Sick-boxes, & get Ourselves within. Within that which Awaited us there. stanley “perfesser” lippert Faugh. gene “rascal” kane We did not like entering those things. jack “malarkey” fuller At all. gene “rascal” kane But that was the Price; we must abide, fully Awake but Inert, within those Foul Things that had once Resembled (aye, had once Been) us (& which we had loved so Dearly) until such time as Night Again fell, at which time, shooting Forth, we would be— stanley “perfesser” lippert Free. gene “rascal” kane Free again. jack “malarkey” fuller Ourselves, truly. gene “rascal” kane All of Bless’d Creation restored to us. stanley “perfesser” lippert Everything again possible. gene “rascal” kane We Three had never Wed, nor truly Lov’d, but, once Night fell again, and if we found ourselves still Resident here, might strike the “never”— stanley “perfesser” lippert For until we are ended, “never” may not be truly said. jack “malarkey” f...