Fly On The Wall: Fairy Tales From A Misanthropic Universe, Vol. I (16 page)

“
Squal is short for
Squalor, one of your leaders actually came up with that one. Sorry
shug.” Maebë nudges Benjamin. He is too agitated to be kept
alongside her further. He plummets from the platform, and the
further he falls the better his expression resembles those which
had implored him for freedom or death just moments ago. A loud snap
stuns Benjamin and he looks down to see shattered shin bones stick
through his flesh like primitive spears. He knows it is the end –
his end.

Maebë grins,
satisfied, and gestures to a worker who consequently flips a nearby
switch labeled with various triangles. Loosely translated it read
'Smoke'. It is a shame, but it is time. Benjamin had been nothing
more than a mere animal, a surface dweller. After all, her kind had
evolved to feast on his, it was only natural, they needed to
survive. Besides, Benjamin had been unwelcome, Maebë always
respected the surface dwellers' wishes, but they are a free people,
not one bred expressly for good, her humans, on the other hand, are
no more than stock.

Maebë surveys
her resource. She always made sure to make it humane. Maebë never
liked the leaders, but at least they made obtaining breeding stock
much easier, the inspectors simply brought them along, this way
they didn't have to undertake dangerous journeys to steal them. It
is different now from how it had been in Maebë's youth, then Squal
had been a luxury, yet now the offal is thrown out. Ruefully she
watches Benjamin gasp for his last moments of air.

At least he
is the right age, and at least he's lived a good life. On the plus
side, at least I get another portion of smokes
Squal!

Maebë leaves
the farm and instructs a guard to have it sent to her when it is
done.

Now Maebë
sits with Hugo on a bench, in an artificial gem-stone park. Each
tree, each leaf, each blade of grass had been fashioned out of the
same gems which made up the rest of her world. The craftsmanship of
the part was impeccable however, each small nutrient vein was
etched on. Rainbow rays shine here and there, forced out from the
light's twisty journey through manifold crystals. Hugo is astounded
by the sparkle which surrounds him still. Hugo is Happy. Ignorant,
but happy. Maebë leans into Hugo and plants a kiss on his cheek. He
is a little older than Benjamin, and maybe not quite as cute, but
he is kind, and – crucially – he listens, and that's all that
matters to Maebë. Maas, one of her servants, approaches them from
the ruby path, as quiet as a whisper, startling Hugo who finds
himself engrossed in Maebë's eyes. In his hands, Maas holds a
platter. Hugo considers how gladly he gives up sunlight in exchange
to be with Maebë in her beautiful and brilliant kingdom, with an
unending supply of Squal to boot.

“
Here,” says Maebë
playfully, as she gently picked up a piece of smoked Squal and
holds it out for him to bite, “it's fresh smoked.”

~fin~