Ruby Mary Gill

for your birthday I organised a fatal shark attack. the first one in 60 years.
the great white was longer than our bodies put together and the
swimmer is in half. I wish the people hadn’t posted the video. disturbance
of the mind like this makes me forget you are 32. how selfish. we hold so
much blood in our bodies. he was 6'5" so he held even more. it mixed with the
salt like a watercolour. I am going to remember the painting forever,
the stroke of a dark fin, the return of foam white belly, the gnashing pink
flail to the tune of happy birthday. an eerie ice cream aesthetic. I wonder
if you even know what’s happened. more likely you are celebrating your
whole life, oblivious. you like to make things about you, which is why I’ve
appropriated this tragedy in your name. meanwhile the shark is turning
50 and is really bored of your bullshit. off she goes down to the ocean
floor to rest, confused by all the shouting. she doesn’t like people in her
house and she’s tired of no-one respecting that. blow out the candles.
leave her alone.