Field Methods
In ‘Moon Eater’, EC Dorgan reminds us that there are the stories we inherit and the stories we write for ourselves. And, in the search for home, either narrative may in fact be the destination.
Enjoy a taste of the journey, with this excerpt from Issue 41, Winter 2024.
Moon Eater
Sarah
I’m only pretending to play bingo. The game’s in my blood, but I’m rusty. I spent days in these bingo halls as a child, sitting beside my grandma. It’s my first time back in thirteen years. Now I have a degree and a research question. A university expense account. Training in field methods. A plan to find myself.
The first few games are a write-off; I’m missing half the caller’s numbers. I’m not here to play, but it still irks me. By the second hour, I can almost keep up. I feel muscle memory awakening. Between games, my ears prick.
“I was berry picking … something in the bush …”
I scan the hall for the speaker, and then I see her — an old lady eating cheese twists at the back. She takes her time, choosing her words with care. I reach for my pen. Her companions roll their eyes. The old lady trails off.
I see her at the break at the snacks table. Come up beside her while she’s pouring coffee. This time, I’m prepared. She puts down her styrofoam, and I’m there with the creamer. Our eyes meet, and I ask about the rougarou.
Elzéar
I’m looking out at the city from the skyscraper, trying to get through my client meetings, but the hunger’s too much, rising from my haunches in waves. I take five for an Americano with an extra shot. Drink it fast and torch my tongue. My appetite’s hotter.
Back in my office, I’m killing it. It’s a cut-throat industry — my salary’s based on sales. Me and my co-workers are badass — when we’re not selling up clients, we’re one-upping each other’s extreme workouts and competing to see who can drink the most high-end whiskey at the bar.
Find out what happens next, in Issue 41, Winter 2024.
And for your chance to appear in the magazine — and win $300! — enter the Bumblebee Flash Fiction Contest, closing February 15th!
EC Dorgan is a Métis writer from Alberta, Canada. She has stories published or forthcoming in Augur, The Dread Machine, and Metaphorosis. She has been known to go berry-picking. This story comes with a content warning for violence, murder, and grief … but also heartfelt beauty and courage.
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