The Lamb

On Margot’s fourth birthday, she picks out six severed fingers from the shower drain of the grimy bathroom she shares with her mother, Ruth. The fingers belong to a girl who wore purple nail polish, and a boy who bit his nails close to the skin. Margot cannot remember if there were others, but she does remember that her mother took in at least two “strays” (2), or lost strangers. The young man had seemed nervous around Ruth before she plied the duo with good food and wine poisoned with hemlock so that they’d slowly fall asleep. 

Margot remembers Ruth kissing the young woman, stripping her slowly as they danced together. Ruth wanted to make her happy. Ruth always tells Margot that strays should be happy before they are killed, since happy strays make for a delicious meal. As Margot sucks on the severed fingers, she wishes her father was around to see the mess Ruth made while butchering the strays, but Margot’s father walked out on her and Ruth a long time ago.