Snakes in the Fox Hole

i am sitting on my front porch and the air is so humid that i think i am drowning, drowning, drowning.

the sun is going down over the fields but it feels too slow- it feels too close. it looks as if the fields are going to burn right to the ground and scorch the dirt. the smoke would blacken my lungs and they would find me covered in a layer of wheat ash.

the whole wide world is burning orange; it makes me want to dig my nails deep into my corneas. i want to slip my fingers into my eye sockets and pop out my eyes like i am carving little ball shaped bites out of a water melon because the sun is loitering and it burns me.

this must have been what it felt like for jesus, wandering the desert for 40 years with the Devil whispering in his ear.

it's been 10 minutes, for me. the sun hovers as if someone reached down from the sky and hit "pause" with their giant finger. The Hand of God. and we will all be forced to wait.

the wheat rustles.

the sun makes everything look like a mirage but when snakes come pouring out of the fields it's real. it's real. snakes in the fox hole, foxes in the hen house, humans in my bed. they move like lemmings with their legs cut off, rushing towards the edge.

i scratch deep gouges into my chest with my nails. anything to feel real. the sun hovers i want to run into it CONSUME ME DON'T LEAVE ME HERE. that's what i'd scream into her mouth.

stray dogs follow the snakes but they inch across the ground on their bellies, coming towards me. they don't make a sound make a sound, save for their abdomens scraping against the dirt.

i don't move i don't move i don't move.

if there were foxes out here i'm sure they'd come next. there aren't any foxes out here though.

the chickens are becoming agitated. the dogs are staring at me.

IS THIS A PLAGUE? ARE YOU PUNISHING ME? another thing i would scream.

(the answer is yes)

someone cut the lights. the sun goes down. the windows shatter.

the dogs drop dead.

my fingernails turn purple and there's a hand on my shoulder it's so hot that it must be branding me, burning it's fingerprints into my skin.

(AM I BEING PUNISHED?)

(NO)

snakes in the fox hole, foxes in the hen house. no humans in my bed.