A wilted top hat falls to the side of his small, pointed head. None of his teeth are near each other, yet he smiles. His lips are cracked and dry.

He arrives at a small hut where he’s been before. He lets himself in through the draped sheet covering the door. Hello he says upon entering, though nobody is there.

He moves to the center of the hut and sits down on the exposed ground. With one hand he rubs smooth the dirt at his feet. He looks up and blinks his sunken eyes two or three times.

Outside there are birds screeching. He cannot tell what color they are by the sounds they’re making. This frustrates him, and his forehead furrows.

He leaves the hut and returns home. His sister is there and he asks her to please bring him some supper, explaining that he has had a rather long day. She brings him his supper.

Before bed he takes off his hat and places it on the stand by his bed. He says goodnight, though nobody else is in the room.