Suddenly, Flies…Thousands of Them

July 17th, 2010 - Tyler - permalink

Our enclosed porch had turned into a modern art exhibit. The square panes of glass were speckled with moving polka dots. Flies. They could see the freedom in the front yard beyond, but could move no further and couldn’t understand why.

The transparent white curtains kept them there, against the glass. They surveyed every inch, testing the system for weaknesses, but they never hit the same place twice…they remembered…

There would always be a few, buzzing around the room, no longer trapped but no closer to freedom.

One morning I got so sick of looking at them I began shaking the curtains, leading them toward the open front door. Most of the flies figured it out, some lingered on the porch and eventually settled into death, in an empty bottle of Smirnoff Ice.

Last night I lit a white cylinder candle as I smoked my cigarette. A fly landed on the rim and watched the flame. He seemed to be considering something. Maybe wondering where all his friends had gone…or why he’d been left behind.

In the blink of an eye, the fly went directly into the fire, there was a pop, then silence.

I looked down and saw the fly’s carcass sinking into the wax.

“Well,” I said, “at least you had the courage.”