They

Part of me, and yet not. With me, and then banished – to another room. They fall into darkness where I cannot follow, and all the things they brought are taken, as they are given up, to the great metal maw that is unforgiving and yet, transformative.

“We must all give ourselves over to the restorative dark,” I whisper, shutting the door on this great maw, watching them tumble around in waves – and I tell the metallic commander to get to work, as it’s now doing, instead of its previous idleness.

Because someone has to do the laundry.

Leslie Soule is a fantasy/sci-fi author from Sacramento, CA. I have an M.A. in English and am currently working on the final book of my fantasy series, The Fallenwood Chronicles. Connect with her on Twitter: @Falcondraco