Ratty go spelunk! Ratty go spelunk! Spelunk! Spelunk! All tight & twisty. Ratty’s got no bones, that’s what say they. Ratty’s got no bones so Ratty go spelunk! So, Ratty, me, go spelunk. Ratty not afraid of stuck. If stuck, suck. Suck air in. Tight, tight, tight. Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Ratty suck and then Ratty not stuck. Ratty go spelunk! Ratty, say they, you find Out. Out is beyond. Out is the orb, the bright orb. People before our people lived under orb, but ray-de-a-SHUN in air so they go inside, down, into home. Into cave. Long time. Long, long, long before Ratty. Ratty smallest. Ratty twisty. Ratty go spelunk! Find Out, say they. See if you see ray-de-a-SHUN. What look like? ask me. No know, say they. Ratty find Out, Ratty see if see ray-de-a-SHUN. Ratty squeeze, breathe in, suck in. Crawl, crawl, crawl. Ratty go spelunk, spelunk so far Ratty go find Out and Ratty, me, Ratty feels Out before Ratty sees Out. Out is strong air, Out is calling, whistling to Ratty. Out says: Come, Ratty. Come find me. Real loud. Ratty goes Out, into Air, into Light, and away from Home, and Ratty go BEYOND.
Kellene O’Hara has been published in The Fourth River, Marathon Literary Review, South Florida Poetry Journal, and elsewhere. Her writing has been nominated for Best of the Net and the Best Small Fictions. She has an MFA in creative writing from the New School. She teaches writing at the University of Mississippi. Find her on Twitter @KelleneOHara, Instagram @KelleneWrites, and online at kelleneohara.com.