We were all an unlikely mix of inferior genetic materials, but not Sally. She was high on oblivion, didn’t worry about shit. Neck high in her life – her fancy firm legs, grim though perfect smile.
We sisters croaked. Sally was all bird song and Spirit Lake eyes. The family’s piggy eyes genes skipped over her too, embedded themselves in the rest of us. Us small-eyed kids wanted to kill her, she was older than us and we would never be as good as her. We piled on the settee and complained like crows on a wire.
My fiance said I had to tell his parents about my dead sister. Why was I ashamed of it? he asked. So I told them about it, how Sally disappeared in the early eighties, had gone on a bike ride and never came home. How they found her bike in weeds. I need to learn to say it, I said.
Meg Pokrass’s story “Leaving Hope Ranch” in 971 Menu was chosen for Wigleaf ’s Top 50, 2009. “Lost and Found,” in elimae, was chosen in May 2009 by Storyglossia for Short Story Month showcase. Her many stories and poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Gigantic, Annalemma, 3AM, The Pedestal, Toronto Quarterly, decomP, Pank, JMWW, Mud Luscious, Juked, Pindeldyboz, Smokelong Quarterly,Wigleaf, elimae, Keyhole, Frigg, Wordriot, The Rose and Thorn, Thieves Jargon, Eclectica, Kitty Snacks, Rumble, and various upcoming anthologies of flash, including Dogs: Wet and Dry. Meg serves as a staff editor for SmokeLong Quarterly, and is currently mentoring with Dzanc’s Creative Writing Sessions. Her blog, with prompts and writing exercises can be found here: http://www.megpokrass.com