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Fenris licks irritably at a metal sphere. The wolf rolls it along the floor, and then back to where it had been. The wolf counts the sphere. The wolf rubs the sphere with its ear. Finally the wolf sighs and swallows the sphere whole.

It rests its head sulkily on the floor of Mr. Gulley’s basement. It listens to the silence.

There is nobody rattling a jingly toy in preparation for throwing it to Fenris. There is nobody opening delicious canned meat with a can opener, or, even better, cooking bacon.

(The wolf does not limit itself to kosher or halal.)

Fenris heaves a great sigh. It looks left. It looks right. Nobody is noticing its extravagant moping. Nobody is appearing to say, “Why, Fenris, you look bored. Let’s go to the zoo! Or the nuclear power plant! Would you like to eat a nuclear power plant?”

They have always looked so tasty to the wolf!

The wolf attempts to turn on the radio by sheer force of will, having accidentally eaten the remote. The wolf concentrates. Its eyes flare white. The radio cracks and begin to bleed. This isn’t what Fenris wanted at all!

Irritably, Fenris begins to struggle against its chain.

<< Chapter 15: The Saint of Hunger

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