SIX MILLION
by Ted Richer
Ram’s horn.
Silence.
YOU appear.
Wait.
I appear.
Wait.
YOU (counting): One.
Pause.
I (accounting for): One . . . dead.
Ram’s horn.
Wait.
YOU (counting): Another.
Pause.
I (accounting for): Another . . . dead.
Ram’s horn.
Wait.
YOU (counting): A few.
Pause.
I (accounting for): A few . . . dead.
Ram’s horn.
Wait.
YOU (counting): Many.
Pause.
I (accounting for): Many . . . dead.
Ram’s horn.
Wait.
YOU (counting): Most.
Pause.
I (accounting for): Most . . . dead.
Ram’s horn.
Wait.
YOU (counting): All.
Pause.
I (accounting for): All . . . dead.
Ram’s horn.
Wait.
YOU (counting): You.
Pause.
I (accounting for): Shh . . .
Wait.
YOU (counting): Me.
Pause.
I (accounting for): Shh . . .
Wait.
YOU disappear.
Wait.
I disappear.
Silence.
Ram’s horn.
Copyright © 2003 by Ted Richer.From The
Writer in the Story and Other Figurations by Ted Richer. Great Britain:
Apocalypse Press, 2003. Used with permission.
