Cities and Splits

City Sea

This city unfolds along a watery spine. Small fishing hooks dip into the water from both sides, and white birds rest among the waves. In a park, a child wearing rubber boots topples into a flock. A golden dog closes its eyes. Some buildings here are also Russian dolls: a church inside a mosque inside a museum. Your fingernails will split as you try to peel the layers. The light here streams through small high windows, and splinters into spider threads that breeze against your face. When you return home, if you’re lucky, you’ll find a baby spider in your pocket. Leave it on your favourite windowsill and watch.

City Caves

Driving there you will see faces in the rocks. Coney caves spiral up in the valley, with smoke pouring from their tops. A woman mourned her lost child here by carving her way into every rock with a spoon. Inside each cave there are endless rooms.

City Underneath

This city was built underground following a small disaster. Long ago a woman sat alone outside. A raven landed beside her. After a brief hesitation, she stood up and moved away, but the raven followed. It hopped and cawed and no matter where she went it followed. She saw a blanket abandoned in the grass and rolled herself in it to avoid the raven’s gaze. More birds arrived. Their beaks glistened and their throats bobbed. Still more circled overhead until the sky was a thick, dark cloud.
The old men had seen a black sky like this before. They made tunnels in their basements to hide their wives and children in. The tunnels became rooms, which branched into more tunnels and the ravens flapped around the woman’s head and their claws got caught in her hair. More ravens came and the sun disappeared behind them. Things began to crumble as they tore out chunks. The city tunnelled faster. They even had rooms for livestock, baptisms, and making wine.

Artwork by Ilona Szalay "Injury."