Sublime

He was formed in uncertainty. Uncertain of food, of place, of worth. It does not matter that he is safe now and has enough. The memory followed him. Some remnant of it clings to him even now.

inside the hood came a noise as of someone sniffing

child, often the smallest or weakest of the flock, as I was, is named after the most despicable things: demon, ghost child, pig snout, monkey-born, buffalo head, bastard—little dog being the more tender one. Because evil spirits, roaming the land for healthy, beautiful children, would hear the name of something hideous and ghastly being called in f