xii

Rattle of bell and bones; an owl's screech; another rattle. Ahpuch the devil-footed caught the two and remember their many tricks. His horn gleams:

They smoked rolled bits of bark to pass the hours. They watched the walls.

They kept themselves busy with the bugs and even feigned once to have learned the clandestine language of the spider.

They smeared mud on their skin and learned to move without sound; as a wall would.

And smoldered the bits of bark stunk of mud and crushed firefly and they stayed years and suffered countless delusions though delirium is without doubt the strength to pretend the day didn't amount to much.