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The Hostage Place | Grace Wells Invisible the insect held within the amber of our father’s boat. Hull he built himself, condensing his finest fibres into boards that bore the lick of sun and wave until their taught wood sung. Evening light could strike its umber sail to flame, light a vision that denied the bite of rope, of salt, the angry sting, for though the rudder steered, our father drove with a lashing tongue. And I never wanted to feel the look upon my mother’s face upon my own. That horizon gaze which stared beyond and saw nothing left each of us unable to find a course out from his dark hold. Each of us still able to inhabit the place we’d crawl; the prow locker, cupboard for pump and bailer, anchor, and metal chain that clinked into each wave; where to the kind sound of water receiving wood we learned to sleep, cheeks pressed into the life-vest’s sweating, yellow flesh. Next... >  read about the author Rescue.htmlWells.htmlshapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1
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