This day, I cross the Bragoto River to the market, slave to a desire that has been growing in my heart. What beauty! I brush past women, clothed in fine reds and purples and blues like shrimps, and just when my passion is greatest–I see them! Those seductive tails, red coats, those large black eyes–and how they lie sensuously, one upon the other!
Braided ponytails obstruct my view, of eyes dark and alluring as the sea at night. What? Are they too hot, those lovely daughters, that they hide from me, curled demurely in that small window of shade? Let me free them from those heavy coats!
At last! The herdsman blocking my view with his ponies moves away. I come near, I cannot stay away, I run my fingers over those hard, red coats and juicy, bulging eyes. Yes, the bed of ice below has kept them fresh. Tonight I will have Shrimp Pili-Pili!
Martin Cooney‘s work has appeared or will appear in Grasslimb, Bywords, MicroHorror, AlienSkin, Wild Violet, Pegasus Review, and Canadian Short Stories, as well as Kita Nippon Newspaper (in Japanese).
