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Scary Monsters

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

What am I doing here?

I knock the door with the butt of my gun three times. I wait. I hear feet on the far side of the door. I hear them hesitate.

“What do you want?” A woman’s voice, not afraid yet. But it’s a voice that knows there are things to be afraid of. It’s a voice that knows there are monsters out there.

That’s why I’m here.

“Gas leak in 15B,” I say. “Just need to check if everything’s OK.”

A pause. Then, “I don’t smell anything.”

“I still gotta check.”

A second pause. This one’s longer.

“Call the super if you want,” I say. “I can wait.”

“No. It’s OK.”

I hear her undo the latch, turn the lock. I ready my gun. She opens the door.

She’s maybe thirty, maybe forty. Dark, shoulder-length hair, eyes placed just a little too wide. But for all she looks like my neighbor, like yours, she isn’t. She’s just another monster.

She opens her mouth. I pull the trigger.

As the bullet leaves the barrel I hear the thing inside of her shriek, see it try to pull it’s way out of her though her mouth, white and segmented as it is, see it try and unwrap its tendrils from behind her hindbrain, try to leave this empty corpse and scamper for the nearest piece of cover.
The bullet hits it in its yellow mouth, between its myriad eyes, and she and it punch apart, tumble to the floor.

Job done.

Then there’s a yell, a scream. A boy runs into view. He sees the woman, the thing that used to be his mother. He screams again. Can’t be more than eight. Doesn’t look more than eight.

Why am I here?

I holster my gun. I turn away, but I can still here his scream. It’s in my head and it won’t get out. It shakes in me as I walk down the hall.That scream from when he knew the truth.

There are monsters out there.

New Vienna – A photographic history of the Western Riots

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

AUTHOR’S NOTE: The following consists of image descriptors copied from the Wembausch photographic archive in New Vienna

1. Mayor Smyther entering Halifax hall the morning before the Western riots (Mellart, 1997)
2. Graffiti slogans by street artist Elscape (Various, 1987 – 1997)
   1. Riese & Resist (sic. 1997)
   2. Ride or die (subway roof) (1995)
   3. You’re mom (sic.) (early work) (c. 1987)
   4. Remember the Shadows (1997)
3. Street shiner with “See the light” sandwich board (Mellart, 1995)
4. Mixeffellion theatre, northern facade (Shiner, 1963)
5. Man fighting his own shadow (Anon., c. 1984-6)
6. Man blinded through repeated shining of flashlight into own eyes (Dr. Oscar Lucrus, 1995)
7. Tavern in the Hole (Anon., Date unkown)
   • CURATORIAL NOTE: Double check authenticity. Reflections are off.  Windows should reflect Straussberg plaza but  neoclassical architecture clearly apparent.  Possible misfiling?  Cross check with photomontage.  Possibly an early Mellart?
8. “Street tomb” for Elscape 1979 – 1997 (Mellart 1998)
9. Woman fighting her brother’s shadow (Anon., 1996)
10. Straussberg plaza burning, Western Riot series (T. Lindeman, 1997)
11. Mixeffellion theatre burning, Western Riot series (T. Lindeman, 1997)
12. “Flashlights Sold Out,” Pennysaver (Aldark, 1997)
13. Elscape wall mural, The Tear and the Shadows Beyond (Anon., 1996)
14. Elscape, in full Street Shiner regalia, appearing in court accused of the murder of Mayor Smyther (Samuel Kennedy, 1998)
15. Two men fighting shadow (Mellart. 1997)
    • CURATORIAL NOTE: Really a Mellart?  Misfiled?  Cross check with photo-manipulation.
16. Grave of Mayor Smyther after vandalism attack (Thomas Veer, 1999)
17. “Batteries for flashlights sold here” Pennysaver (Aldark, 1997)
18. Graffiti erroneously credited to Elscape (Various 1998 – 2000)
    1. “Shine on” – Rubberchin (Rubberchin, 1998)
    2. “Burning in the light” – Devi8 (T. Lindeman, 1999)
    3. “Never dark. Always aflame.” – Squealpiggy (Underwell, 1998)
    4. “Solar powered savior” – Animan (Oscard, 1999)
    5. “My light still shines” – Rubberchin (J. Hutch, 2000)
19. State troopers defending power switching stations (Mellart, 1997)
20. “Shadows burn away” graffiti, Western Riot series (T. Lindeman, 1997)
21. Mayor Smyther re-election campain (Thomas Veer, 1994)
    • CURATORIAL NOTE: Misfiled? Shadows are all over the place. Check photo-manipulation.
22. “Was it good for you?” – Group of Street Shiners skateboarding in the ashes of Mixeffellion theatre, police officers gagged, bound and surrounded by celebrants in background, Western Riot series (T. Lindeman, 1997)

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