Reading: "Altar of Incantation" from COVEAL OF THE HEDONIC (A.Glass 2025)
Stepping out onto Bowery Street, Pamela points at the nearby bus stop.
“Quickly, the bus is coming!” As it pulls up to the stop, Nalina and her mother quickly step onboard, showing her pass to the driver, the bus makes its way to lower Manhattan.
“Oh, I love this song!” she says, as man sitting at the back of the bus holding a large radio, with music blaring. Both of them sit down, as Pamela begins to move from side to side.
“...Dancing with tears in my eyes...Weeping for the memory of a life gone by...Dancing with tears in my eyes...Living out a memory of a love that died …” She sings along with the chorus, she looks at Nalina quietly sitting there, staring at the street rapidly moving past outside from the bus window. “...We’re not so bad, are we?” She asks, with a tinge of sadness in her eyes.”
“Not at all,” Nalina replies, her expression blank, yet aware of he mother’s temperament at times.
“Our stop is coming up soon.” Standing, Pamela taps the button with her right index finger, requesting the next stop. The bus pulls up alongside the curb.
Nalina and her mother exit the bus, in a quickened manner she leads her daughter to the entrance of the job claims center. As car passes by, its windows winded down, with a song being played loudly.
“Another one of my favorites…” Pamela says, hearing the tune, as she starts jumping around in a mocking dance style, outside the center. Nalina just stares at her.
“...Well, I'm off my rocker, I fell out of my tree I've been standin' on shaky ground...There's no helping me, yeah I can't remember my number...I can't remember your name...I can't remember all the trouble I'm in…” The car speeds off into the distance, as the music begins to fade, yet Nalina’s mother continues singing along. “...Well, I'm insane...Well, I'm insane.”
Looking at the glass front door of the building in front of her, Pamela demeanor changes to seriousness. “...So, here we are.”
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