Day 259 of Current Days: Purification

I nudge the box. I see the teeth have clearly loosened, though I wouldn’t consider the bleaching finished just yet. Regardless, I’d prefer to soak the colossal cranium for another day. Yet, I feel for these teeth and the bone structure in general. It might still fall apart…

I pull the object into the tub. I start rinsing. The longer I rinse, the more debris floats out from the inside. As usual, the nasal sinuses hold the most treasures. I’m afraid to look inside the brain cavity. I do it anyway, while pouring water over it. It’s quite bearable. But the sinuses… I peek, still pouring water. I feel bad because I hate wasting it like this. But seeing what is still flowing out from within, I feel I cannot stop. I shift the water’s point of impact.

A solid flap slides out from inside the head. A dark, sodden flap. I don’t know—tissue or skin. I don’t look at it too closely, but I try to prevent the water from diverting it into the drain. It will clog and foul it. I feel the urge to vomit rising. Wow, I’ve really managed to grow old in the meantime. Phlegm fills my mouth. I wonder: is this the moment? I feel I have a choice—will I allow my stomach to purge, or not? And that choice in itself feels purifying. Generally, I loathe vomiting, but for a rather unusual reason—my stomach hurts immensely. After taking an antispasmodic, vomiting actually becomes pleasant. Purifying, even.

I think I’ll pass this time, though. I glance at the nasal sinuses. There’s no way I’m picking at you by hand—I say to myself. Yet, I feel no bath or rinsing will help them. I decide to submerge the skull in detergents once more. To hell with the falling teeth; at worst, I’ll glue them back in. This time, I place the skull upside down, suspecting that otherwise, air blocks the detergents from reaching the nooks and crannies.

I definitely chose a poor time for such games. I go to bed exhausted, with a hurting stomach, a nose stinging from chlorine, and the conviction that I won’t be dreaming of anything beautiful tonight.

Maybe I should be into nails after all? Like girls do…

Young Moose Skull: Frame 1, 2024/26

tiramisu