squeal of the things

previous part: https://jordynsaelor.com/2025/10/03/hunger-of-the-things/

all parts: https://jordynsaelor.com/cant-catch-me-now/

***

“It burns!” the upper blanket squealed.

“Run!” the middle blanket cried.

“Clargor fristhimnba–” the lower blanket hissed,

then they all vanished

from my back

so I could see

everything.

The trees moved.

Roots

thrust up from the ground

to stab back down

and pull their trunks

through the dirt

like plows,

and salamanders leapt from their waving branches,

bodies black but striped with changing lights,

eyes like pools of rot,

tails

leaking colored fumes

that set the citrine leaves

on fire.

Hundreds of branches

snapped,

forming fingers

that caught the fireballs

and hurled them

at me–

and the blankets

screeched

and flailed

in the grip

of a tree

speeding away from me–

and the salamanders somersaulted

through the sky,

landing

on four legs

then sprinting

toward me–

“Help me!” the blankets cried

and I tapped

the invisibility runes on my ankles

into each other

to make them work

then I ran,

hoping the trees

and amphibians couldn’t smell my sweat

through the smoke

and colored fumes

raising a stench of cabbage and fish,

but I didn’t run after the blankets

I ran

the other way.

***

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