Zombies Of The Stratosphere
First, it conquered the world,
the day the earth stood still.
Generally, it was the end of
the world, this island earth.
Specifically, it was the day
the sky exploded, the day
the earth caught fire, followed by
the night the world exploded.
2,000 maniacs line up before you,
waiting to have their scalps okayed.
You are the school nurse, and as
each face steps up to the level of
your breasts, you can feel god-knows-
what filth seething beneath the hirsute
grease your fingers part. Then
a familiar head, your son Billy's best
friend, Tommy. Nice head.
You know it has no lice, and he knows
you know. To touch it is to
depersonalize Tommy and offend
your best friend, his mother, who knows
some checks don't have to be made,
not between friends. Furthermore, Tommy
will dine at your house tonight
at your Billy's insistence.
You can slip the test then, use some
excuse to coddle both boys' heads
and scratch them till they squint,
all the time scrutinizing. But
the school nurse has a job, and the job's
voice says, Touch it, Touch the head.
You touch it.
The surprising mouth says,
I drink your blood. I eat your skin.
Page(s) 6
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