SNAILS
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Walking
      to
      school
      my
      sister
      and
      I,
      down
      the
      long
      dusty
      road
     
     
      in
      the
      stillness
      of
      an
      early
      summers
      morning.
     
     
      Fig
      and
      almond
      trees
      on
      either
      side
      of
      the
      road,
      green,
      and
      lush
     
     
      with
      the
      promise
      of
      sweet,
      sticky,
      warm
      juices
      dribbling
     
     
      over
      our
      fingers,
      down
      our
      chins.
     
     
      Sisters,
      close
      in
      age
      yet
      universes
      away.
      Sibling
      rivalry
      at
      its
      worst
     
     
      rivalry
      for
      a
      mothers
      un-comparing,
      unconditional
      love.
     
     
      Sisters.
      Angry,
      spiteful,
      poking
      hurtful
      probes
      in
      the
      tender
      spaces
      of
      our
      hearts
     
     
      Scuffling
      feet,
      swinging
      school
      bags,
      eyes
      peeled
      for
      an
      additional
      leverage
     
     
      to
      cause
      pain
      with.
      Something
      to
      break
      through
      the
      outer
      calm.
     
     
      Carelessly
      tossed
      comment
      "I
      love
      these
      little
      snails,
      how
      they
      crawl
      so
      slowly
      up
      the
      road."
      Wonderful
      weapon,
     
     
      compassion,
      caring,
      every
      thing
      that
      is
      being
      stamped
      out
     
     
      in
      a
      slow,
      insidious
      process
      of
      "divide
      and
      conquer."
      Exhilarating
      sense
      of
      freedom,
      meanness.
     
     
      Walking
      to
      school
      my
      sister
      and
      I
      down
      the
      long
      dusty
      road
     
     
      in
      the
      stillness
      of
      an
      early
      summers
      morning.
     
     
      A
      trail
      of
      delicate
      snail
      shells,
      crushed
      beyond
      recognition
      by
      hurt,
      angry,
      spiteful
      little
      feet.
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
     
         
     
     
         
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Stephanie
      Douglas
     
     
      =
      PIPHAL
     
     
      VAS
      DEFERENS,
      \G
      ee
     
     
      _PENIS
     
    

    
     
      FREE
      OvIDUCT-.__
      SY
      eu,
      \
      _ATRIUM
     
    

    
     
      ;
      ___
      mucUS
     
    

    
     
      MUCUS
      GLAND
      __mucus
     
     
      ~~
      DART-SAC
     
     
      FLAGELLUM
     
    

    
     
      \
      vi
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      COMMON
      4-—-~
     
     
      GENITAL
     
     
      DUCT
      °
     
     
      --
      *
      ae
     
     
      LOBE
      OF
      DIGESTIVE
      GLAND
      sinc
      Gla
     
    
   
   
    
     
      \
     
     
      OVOTESTIS