Page 112 of Even Vampires Bleed
Didn’t I say I needed something to keep myself busy and away from Léandre?
This is perfect.
I go back inside and pull some clay from the hole.
It’s harder to do than I initially thought, because it’s thick and smooth, but it’s also extra sticky and I feel like it would be easier to cut it instead of just plunging my fingers as far as they can go and bringing small quantities by small quantities up.
By the time I feel like I have enough clay, I’m a mess. I have orange streaks on my thighs, and I feel like some is drying on my cheek, too.
I don’t want to scratch it, though, because my hands are covered in clay. If I try, I’m sure I’m going to cover more of my face.
I take one of the varnished bowls and return outside with my clay.
After dropping it on the wheel, I follow the hose to where Léon plugged it to get water.
I don’t have to walk a lot before I find a well.
It’s most likely where we get our water, too.
I fill the bowl, and then I come back to the turning table.
Now to make something out of the clay.
59
Cassiopé
I’m not good at pottery.
Needless to say, I tried to make multiple designs and none of them have met a level I could be proud of.
I’ve destroyed all of my confections so far, and this one seems to be on its way to destruction, too.
It’s my best work so far, and yet I wouldn’t even let anyone look at it.
My first try was a bowl. Its sides ended up falling because the clay was too wet.
My second was a mug, but it has a smashed handle in its side because it wouldn’t stay put.
This is my third attempt.
I’m trying to make a flower vase.
It’s too thin at the base, and I think it’s too thin at the top because no matter what I do, the upper part tries to collapse on itself. Now I don’t have an opening on top anymore.
I’m about to smash it on the wheel when a laugh bursts out of me.
It looks like a penis.
A very sad penis, but a penis, nonetheless.
Without stopping my laugh, I stop pushing on the pedal and add some clay.
Might as well embrace my weirdness and make a clay penis after all.
Weirdly, it takes me way less time to make my new sculpture and it might look a bit wonky, but I’m pretty proud of the result.
Not sure I would show it to anyone, though.
