Secrets are rarely private. The hush-hush of a dream gets verbalized.
When I was eleven my guinea pig, Black Magic, expired. Her sleek glossy fur and animated eyes altered forever. Squeezing her dainty paw with my thumb and forefinger, I held tight to its icy touch. I knew, but I placed her in a different place beyond death. It just took a second.
At night she visited me. We’d bike together; she in my basket, me behind, wind in our hair. We went to the park where yellow flowers bloomed. Seven lovely days—and then she disappeared—revealing the unmistakable truth.
Very nice! A sweet picture painted with words. My favourite line was “Squeezing her dainty paw…”. I am also greatly entertained by the idea of you riding a bicycle with Black Magic (a better name there never was for a guinea pig. Short of Bacon, or Larry).
Thank you! Admittedly I had TWO guinea pigs and different times. One was Black Magic and the other was Cinnamon. Cinnamon is *actually* the one that got the bike basket rides!
i also thought that the first line was really interesting. nicely done.
Thank you!
What gave me the most pause was your opening line. Is something still a secret when you share it? Or, are those the best kinds of secrets; ones that have been shared and bring a special closeness?
Good questions! Thank you for reading my piece.
A pagan religious ceremony? The first paragraph seems to give the eleven-year-old the power to intervene in the normal processes of life and death. In the dreamy seven days that follow, we see a goddess narrator re-creating, via black magic, a guinea pig in her own image. Who is then set down to romp in Eden. And on the seventh day the goddess finally rested from her creative project.
I like your interpretation! Thanks for reading.
Gramps thinks your still his sweet grandaughter whose mind is always working and thinking of something nice to say about what ever is going on,
Aw, thanks Gramps!
I saw it all in my minds eye..you and Black Magic
The “unmistakable truth” has to be, that even though Black Magic is gone, it still resides in the heart and thoughts of the narrator. Touching little story. Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you for reading it!
Black magic and dreams– the hidden powers of a humble guinea pig! I like reading about dreams, especially because I know you biked with Black Magic (not the motorcycle gang) back in the old days.
Were the seven lovely days part of the dream or reality? Or both?
Dreams and memories (7 lovely days)
This is very sweet and I can picture that young girl (you!), so fervently holding onto your pet! I’ve been there…Fluffy the hamster…so sad. But I like how it wasn’t immediate for you, you got to hang on to the dream for a little while longer. Nicely done!
Fluffy! Great name and I am sure a great pet. Thanks for reading my piece.