The Wild Things

CHAPTER XLVII

When they were still, Max could smell, faintly, the salt water of the sea. Katherine, with Max in her belly, had escaped all the way to her beach. He was relieved and tired and wanted only to get out and to sail away.

“Is he gone?” Max asked.

“He is,” Katherine said. “We’re safe.”

Max was dazed and short of breath. “I can’t breathe that well in here. Can you get me out?”

Katherine said nothing.

“Katherine?” Max said, louder.

There was no answer.

“Katherine!” he yelled, now pounding on the wall of her stomach.

He began to try to climb the walls of Katherine’s insides, but they were far too slippery. There was nothing to grab onto.

“Katherine?” he asked.

Finally she answered. “What is it, my darling?”

“What are you doing? I need to get out.”

Max heard nothing.

“Katherine?”

There was no response.

“Katherine? Where are you?”

“You’re safe inside,” she said. “I’ll protect you.”

“What?” Max said.

“Don’t you like it in there?” she asked.

“No. Let me out.”

There was another long pause before she spoke again.

“You were a bad king. I can’t let you go.”

“What? I was not a bad king. Katherine, I need to get out.” Max was short of breath and his head was pulsating. “I don’t think I’m supposed to be in here. I can’t breathe.”

“Yes you can,” she insisted. “Why are you doing this to me?” she asked, suddenly outraged. “You don’t love me!”

“That’s not true,” Max said. “Why would you say that?”

“I don’t know!” she wailed.

Max was growing weaker inside, his breathing shallower. He felt very faint.

“Please don’t go, Max. You’re a part of me.”

“I have to go,” he whispered.

There was a pause that seemed interminable. Max found himself growing numb, his fingers tingling, his heart fluttering.

Just as he felt himself dropping into something like sleep, he was lifted toward the light. It was Katherine. She had thrust her arm into her mouth, taking hold of Max by the scruff of his neck. She lifted Max from her stomach and into the air, and carefully deposited him on her lap.

The air felt so cold and clean, and he gulped at it. The ocean beyond them was bright and calm, and pulled at Max. But he felt so weak that he couldn’t keep his eyes open. As Katherine stroked his wet hair, he dropped into a shallow sleep.