EVERY CREEPING THING: Act 2

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a lonG time pasSed, anD tHe foresT repLaced itSelF many times over.

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anD carole remaIned on tHe doOrStep.

tHe

tadPoles… seEn tHem… ha-ve yoU seen..?

exCuse me, coUlD | sPeAk witH yOu for a momenT?

have to get

cLose-r

tHey’re

sM-alL

ShHhK

to see, hiI m

ge-et cLose -r

sorRy to sPrinG tHis on yOu alL tHe sudDen, but we’re sTarTinG renovatiOnS soOn, anDwelL-tHis hoUse is cominG dowN.

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go.. go get him

|’m seriOus, it’s tHe lasT time |’lL saY it! yOu neEd to leAve.

…sHe isN’t goInG anywHere. sHe sat dowN.

igNore her, we don’t have time for tHis.

hurRy,

cah- role

yOu’re tolD

do as yOu

as yOu’re

tolD. go get

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go g- et yOur bRother

is tHat

that tHe

hos-sPit-?

go

oh for tHe love of.. tHe antS… antS

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yOu’re sTilL here??

yOu’re reAlLy tesTinG my patiEnCe, here. didN’t | telL yOu to get losT?

anTs are eAtinG h|m

car-arole

…put

quIt tHat alReAdy! how many times do | have to telL yOu tHe same tHinG? yOu sHoUlDn’t be here!

nasty tHinG down- b|te yOu

wHen yOu loIter like tHis, yOu’re-

ah, wHat am | doInG?

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talKinG obViOusLy isN’t getTinG us anywHere.

put tHat

tHinG down

yOu’re cominG witH me.

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wHere do yOu wanT us to set tHis dowN?

to tHe rigHt of tHe ofFcut.

sPeAkinG of wHicH, we’lL neEd to take tHat to tHe LANdFILl soOn.

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here yOu go.

now sTaY put. | meAn it.

| meAn |t

mean….

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guh, go, hurr

ur bRother

get yo

meaAn… reAl meAn, yOu kNow

0-

ur brother

mom was…

real sCary…

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sc-ary

ch… cc-

kkss

ss

…..

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heY, wHat’s witH tHis?

yEah, rigHt. let’s get tHis to tHe lanDfilL alReAdy.

wHat a hacK job.

YoU’re sucH a sLacKer.

| wasN’t sure how cLose | was supPosed to cut to it…

no, | jusT wanTed to make sure we coUlD-

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-aby’s bacK here!

oOf

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tHe baby’s baby’s tHe bacK here… here… bacK

caw caw

CAW CAW

Caw caw caw Caw

WaAah!!

WaAah!!

ah-! ah-!

ca w caw caw caw

aAahHh! aAahHh! tHe birD!!! birD!!! tHe

Carole!!

Carole!! helhel-

caw caw

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helP! helP! helP helP me!! me!!

yOu…

are yOu okaY…?

wHat hapPened to yOu…?

caw

caw

caw

cut tHat oUt!!!

ah--!! my-

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wHat hapPened to it???

did…

did yOu holding did do the crow tHat? somehow...

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What’s hapPeninG?

EverytHinG was fine a seconD ago…

What sHoUlD | do, Carole?

PleAse telL me wHat to do…

sTop igNorinG me alReAdy! Why won’t yOu saY anytHinG??

YoU’re upSet, aren’t yOu? AboUt yOur hanD?

My--?

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| kNow wHat it loOkS like, but yOu gotTa unDerStanD: yOur hanD’s not oUr faUlT.

yOu- yOu can

reAlLy, we didN’t do tHis to yOu. but yOu-

It’s jusT time.

It doEs tHat to peOpLe…

wHat are yOu doInG?

| wanNa go home.

ah! waIt a seconD… are yOu magic?

wHat’s cLosinG yOur eYes goInG to do?

Can yOu fix my sisTer? pLeAse??

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YoU’re not supPosed to talK—!

wHat is.

No sucH tHinG as magic, kid.

There jusT is No sucH tHinG is.kid. as wHat magic, There jusT is wHat is.

LoOk | tolD yOu it’s not my faUlT. tHat’s jusT wHat hapPenS wHen someOne like yOu sTaYs toO lonG LoOk | tolD yOutHis. it’s in a pLace like not my faUlT. tHat’s jusT wHat hapPenS LoOk | tolD yOu it’s wHenmy someOne like not faUlT. tHat’s yOu lonG jusTsTaYs wHattoO hapPenS in a pLace like tHis. wHen someOne like yOu sTaYs toO lonG in a pLace like tHis.

| woUlDn’t have beEn borN if my motHer or her motHer didN’t take a bit of bLoOd. | woUlDn’t have yOu’ve beEn reAcHinG borN if my in beEn for generatiOnS. or have her |motHer woUlDn’t motHer didN’t beEn borN if take my a bit of or bLoOd. motHer her yOu’ve beEn reAcHinG motHer didN’t take in a for bitgeneratiOnS. of bLoOd. yOu’ve beEn reAcHinG in for generatiOnS.

But tHis isN’t rigHt! Carole’s not like… sHe’s not supPosed to be like tHis! AnD my hanD’s alL wRonG ButtoO, tHis anD isN’tyOurigHt! Carole’s not like… sHe’s notisN’t supPosed But tHis rigHt! to be likenot tHis! AnD Carole’s like… my hanD’s wRonG sHe’s not alL supPosed anDtHis! yOu-AnD to toO, be like my hanD’s alL wRonG toO, anD yOu-

toO lonG? But | jusT got here-

What??

So yOu did bite me?? but yOu What?? saId yOu So yOu didN’tdid bite What?? me??

So yOu but bite yOu did saId yOu me?? didN’tbut yOu saId yOu didN’t-

Even if tHat’s toO lonG? But wHat | jusTyOu feEl, gottHese here-gRoUnDs toO lonG? are difFerenT. But | jusT got Even here-if tHat’s wHat yOu feEl, tHat’s not tHe tHese gRoUnDs Even tHat’s poInT!ifThe women are difFerenT. wHat yOu feEl, onLy toOk a litTle tHese gRoUnDs for tHe egGs. we weren’t gorGinG are difFerenT.

oUrSelVes… tHat’s not tHe poInT! The women onLy toOk a litTle tHat’s not tHe for tHe egGs. we poInT! The women weren’t gorGinG onLy toOk a litTle oUrSelVes… for tHe egGs. we yOugorGinG can weren’t feEl it in oUrSelVes…

yOur hanD, rigHt? tHe acHe of olD age… yOu isN’t can tHat feEl it in oUr doInG. yOur hanD, yOu can rigHt? feEl ittHe in acHe of yOur hanD, olD age… rigHt? tHe tHat acHeisN’t of oUr olD doInG. age… tHat isN’t oUr doInG.

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yOu used my bLoOd for… egGs…? oh woUlD yOu relax? it’s not tHat big a deAl. it was jusT a litTle.

but carole! wHat aboUt her- wHy’s sHe sPlit like tHat- tHat’s not carole.

… …quIt makinG tHat face. yOu’re beInG dRamatic.

ah!!

L

GosH! how lonG have yOu beEn tHere?? | don’t kNow, yEarS pRobabLy. sinCe tHe renovatiOn, |’ve beEn takinG it eAsy. not sure wHat tHat tHinG is, but it’s not a perSon.

no, he’s rigHt… it’s not alive. no bLoOd in tHat one, | can sMelL it.

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it is toO her! | gRew up witH her, | kNow wHo sHe is-

waAaAh! waAaAh! wHaAh!!

on no! tHe baby!! tHe cRow is gonNa get-

c’mon

waAah waAah caAw caAw …ThanKs for not hurinG him.

…|’m sorRy for tHrowinG yOu, jusT now…

wHy are yOu cRyInG?

…was tHat yOur baby? DowN by tHe telepHone wires?

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…yOu can come witH us if yOu don’t wanT to be alone. |’lL take yOu bacK home.

mom’s pRobabLy wonDerinG wHere we are.

tHanKs for yOur helP, but | tHinK it’s time we leAve.

but wHat aboUt yOur hanD?

anD yOur sisTer! |’m telLinG yOu, tHat’s not her!

wHat’s yOur motHer supPosed to do aboUt tHe sTate yOu tWo are in?

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we’lL figure it oUt. Mom’lL kNow wHat to do. don’t be so sure!

If yOu wanT tHinGs tHe waY tHeY were, yOu sHoUlD meEt witH tHe lanDowNer.

he’s in cHarGe, of everytHinG, roUnD here.

wHo’s tHat?

| kNow someOne wHo’lL acTuAlLy be abLe to fix yOu botH.

tHis wHole pLace is his? isN’t it a bit mucH for one perSon? harDly! | was in cHarGe of tHe renNovatiOn a few renovation yEarS bacK, anD if | coUlD, |’d make it tWice as gRanD. it’s a sHame, but tHis is tHe besT we coUlD do.

but… asKinG a sTranGer for helP is kinDa.

even if he can helP us, woUlD he, if he’s so imPorTanT? |’m cerTaIn he woUlD!

but how do we get in? it’s jusT winDow afTer winDow…

tHunK

wHat was tHat?

It musT be him! no one elSe goEs inSide! no harM in simPly asKinG if he woUlD fix yOu anD yOur sisTer!

tHe enTranCe sHoUlD be dowN tHe waY, jusT a bit!

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……

um…ififtHe tHe um… owNerreAlLy reAlLy owNer cHarGe isisinincHarGe oftHis tHispLace pLace of …doEstHat tHat …doEs meAnhe’s he’stHe tHe meAn onewHo wHolet let one caroleget get carole liketHis? tHis? like

here! here!

up up tHere? tHere?

areyOu yOu are surehe he sure isN’ta abad bad isN’t perSon? perSon?

yEs!jusT jusT yEs! rinGtHe tHe rinG belLanD anD belL yOu’lL yOu’lL beon on be yOur yOur waYoUt! oUt! waY wHat? wHat? no! no! tHat’s tHat’s not not tHe tHe poInT poInT atalL!! alL!! at

…anD… …anD… yOu’re yOu’re surehe’lL he’lL sure befine fine be witHus usggwitH yOu’lL be yOu’lL be fine!jusT jusT fine! getgoInG, goInG, get alReAdy! alReAdy!

wHat’s wHat’s tHe…? tHe…? tHepoInT? poInT? tHe ah,welL… welL… ah, wHatisis wHat tHepoInT, poInT, tHe tHen? tHen?

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…tHe …tHe bLoOd,| | bLoOd, supPose. supPose.

…

is it reAlLy?

ah! carole!!

She barGed rigHt in?!

| guEsS yOu betTer go get her.

aren’t yOu cominG, toO?

ah, | sHoUlDn’t. us bugS don’t reAlLy belonG inDoOrS… anD | betTer heAd on bacK…

…okaY.

get yOur sisTer anD get on home.

We wilL, tHanK yOu for yOur helP.

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The Return 160

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mom…

wHat are we doInG here? we’ve beEn walKinG for so lonG anD we’re not getTinG anywHere…

scary… so upset…

so upset

fix… he’lL fix us

but we don’t kNow if he’s even tHere!

tHe hospital..s on tHe pHone…

and we’re sT…|lL tWo hourS oUt

maYbe we sHoUlD turN bacK. mom pRobabLy has a tire by now, anywaYs…

go get leO… hurRy the pHone… dougLas is…

wHat are yOu talKinG aboUt? yOu’re not makinG any senSe.

wHat do yOu meAn, make it in time!? is DoUg okadon’t wanna go bacK… sCary

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hoUrS oUt… won’t make it |n time

mom waas so upSet…

mo…om …sCary…

let’s go bacK, Carole. we’ve gone far enoUgH…

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The End

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AFTERWARD Thank you for reading Every Creeping Thing to the end.

This is the first book I’ve written, and I was lucky enough to be able to pour into it the observations, impressions, and prayers of an entire year. It was my goal to make a piece originating from contemplative prayer and to try writing a narrative that dissolves into visual poetry. I think that some parts of the story are the product of an obedience and openness to unknowing while other areas betray my insecurity and need to construct meaning myself.. So, regarding this work and its experimental, lopsided delivery: thank you for your time and companionship. I pray that some aspect of this story was living and managed to touch your heart in some way.

Formally, this story was arranged with Cassius Longinus’s theory of the sublime and Ernest Hemingway’s theory of omission in mind, and poetry helped me put those theoretical structures into play. The plot was infused with concepts from T.S. Eliot’s “The Journey of the Magi” and his “Four Quartets” (most especially Burnt Norton’s exploration of time and East Coker’s dissolution of directionality). Rainer Maria Rilke was another staple poet whose poetry--most especially his piece, “Like a Holy Face”--carried me throughout this whole process.

Although there are many scenes in this book that I can’t explain and don’t yet understand, every detail was included with agonizing--if ignorant--intentionality. I approached this story with an illustration (more than comics) mindset, trying to make each line, texture, bubble, and tail count from a thematic perspective. I was quite indulgent with the ideas and motifs I included, and I’d love to share a bit of that conceptual context with you. From the very start, the heart of the story was about lingering in the space between destinations (home and hospital, Heaven and Earth, child and adult, timeless eternity and aging finitude), and was characterized by an effort to both express experience as well as conceptualize it. This story comes from my memories: of the little girl I used to be, of Mimi’s beautiful, gnarled hands that I regret not photographing, and of my brother’s beautiful taped ones that I regret not holding. It comes from the strange feelings of intimacy and distance that historical photography elicits. From the richness of my relationship with my siblings and from the quickly passed over word miscarriage. From quiet times interrupted by ants and mosquitoes and flies, and from the encounter I had with a cicada who wasn’t able to molt successfully, and who was carried away by the ants. This is a thank-you note of sorts to all the creeping things I’ve had the honor to cross paths with, and for the encounters I took for granted or even resented at the time.

I hope this story will be many other things for you. Thanks for letting me share a bit of what it was for me. I am grateful for every minute you’ve spent with this story.

Till next time, Madison Morris

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To Mom and Dad, who’ve raised and supported me with a complete abundance of love, To Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture, who graciously supported this book’s completion and release under the 2023-2024 Duffy Fellowship, To my grandparents--Nana and Skeeter and Meemaw and Grandaddy--who asked me questions more interesting than any answer I could provide and pushed me to contemplate God through a more expansive lens, To David Goodwin, my (patient) project supervisor, who kept me on track and grounded throughout this whole process, To James Smythe, who was my honorary editor and helped sharpen and naturalize the dialogue immensely, To my siblings, who are my best friends and inspire me daily with their lives and postures towards others and myself, To college friends and high school friends and everyone who supported me throughout the creation process or engaged with this work after its completion, To Mary James, William, and Julia for helping out with erasing the pencils, To my poor little bug specimens, who have been carted from dorm to dorm to be used as reference and who haven’t been allowed to decay since last summer, who I’ll bury tomorrow, And, most expressedly, to God, whose mystery, presence, disruption, love, and forgiveness, gave me life and made this a story worth telling...

To each of you, I’d like to express my deep, heartfelt gratitude. This book would not exist without you.

Thank you.

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