SmokeLong Quarterly

I had the bellyache I read my mother’s book it said speak to your pain I said hello, how are you? the book said ask where it’s come from I said where you come from? the book said ask for its message I said hi what’s your message?

But I still had the bellyache so I went to the library I said I want a magic book full of spells to take away the pain she said have you read Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets? she said you’ll like it so I took it home.

But I still had the bellyache so I went back to the library and said this doesn’t work it’s not true she said oh you want non-fiction I said yeah I want real magic conjuring tricks she said make things disappear I said yes she said see over there by the internet computers I said yes she said that’s magic.

I still had the bellyache when I went outside there was a girl she said have you still got the pain I said yes she said come here and put her hand on my face and said what’s that like? I said soft and warm and that she said kissing my head I said nice and warm and when she kissed my lips I went all wobbly and that she said I said I went all wobbly.

And now where’s your pain she said I said I forgot about it I think it’s gone. look harder she said I did and found only half of it I said half the pain’s gone she said where’s the other half? I said I don’t know she said I’ve got the bellyache now and I thought oh oh I heard about this someplace and we laughed and she said what are we gonna do about that? and I thought and I remembered mommy’s book Ten Tips for Bored Housewives: Release Yourself from Domestic Strife and I knew what to do.

I crouched down and said hello bellyache how are you? where do you come from? I said have you got a letter for me? she said do you think there might be another way and I thought and I undid her blouse and then I kissed her belly.

Now she said you’re getting the message.