Brazil
Ian Sanquist
Maria said Id feel better after Id had a good nights sleep, but I dont know. She doesnt know anything about my childhood. She hasnt seen my medical records.
Maria believes there are people who can see into the future, but she doesnt think shes one of them. But I dont know. I think she might be. She has the loveliest pair of wings Ive ever seen sprouting from any womans shoulder blades.
The thing about Dennis is that all he really liked to do was hurt peoples feelings. This could manifest itself in many ways, but the worst was when hed been drinking, or snorting cocaine. Then hed take out this long knife that he said hed strong-armed from a pimp, and hed tell you he was going to set your house on fire after he tied you to your bed. He was a terrible person, truly, no one liked him, but Maria said Id only be doing him a big favor if I stood up to fight.
Maria could wrap her wings all the way around me, and sometimes she held me so tightly in them that I couldnt even shiver. Then Id ask her to tell me what was in the future, and she said wed always be free if we went to Brazil. I asked her what shed do when the man from the government called and said it was time for her to go back to Virginia. I dont know, shed say. There are people who see into the future, but Im not one of them. Well always be free in Brazil. Nothings as permanent as it seems in science fiction.
Well, we had money to buy plane tickets, so we decided to go. Everyone stared at Maria in the airport, but I dont know, it seems to me an airport is the first place on Earth Id expect to see an angel.
At the last minute, the airline made us buy another seat for Marias wings. It was only fair, I guess. I charged it to the credit card, and we took our time walking down the jetway, although it may have looked more like a dance to anyone who was watching.
Maria held my hand as the airplane took off. She asked me what was in the future. The plane isnt going to crash, Maria, I believe I said. Dont worry about anything, dear. The plane isnt going to crash, Maria. The plane isnt going to crash.
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