Toothache

He spat puss as he clambered to his feet, his untied boots flapping at the soles. Tears filled his eyes, as he took it in. She was mutilated, covered in blood. It covered one eye, dripping and running from her shiny blonde hair to her lovely unblemished skin, past her ear to her dimples. But the teeth, her gleaming white teeth had been destroyed.

Some sort of message. The letters rearranged themselves to shapes, squares and triangles, blurring into the hatred. While Toothache had never learned to read, he had a sense for these types of things. And he knew this was done out of hatred. Hatred towards him.

His lady cried out for his help.

Toothache scrambled to pick up his staff. He climbed up to her, to defend her honor. He scrubbed her cheeks, cars honking and yelling as they sped past him. Tears filled his eyes. His hands, already rough and calloused, bled and blistered from his labors.

He collapsed on the side of the road, her face now filled with white patches. He dragged himself back to his hole, where she spoke to him that night. She asked if he still loved her. Toothache wept more, stoking the fire as the cars thumped along.

Toothache woke to the sound of machinery. Of men gathering, a scaffold being built at the lady’s pedestal. Toothache turned, again reaching for his staff as he pulled himself out to once again defend his lady’s honor.

The men turned, eyes widening as Toothache jabbed the staff at them, a warning shot for them to clear off.

“Take it easy, man.”

Toothache was not about to take it easy. The lady screamed out, calling for him to help. The men, having ripped out the sky from behind her head were we’re now peeling at her skull.

He let out a wail, then charged.

***

The police arrived to find Toothache in front of the billboard, waving a stick and daring anyone to come near. The men were huddled in the crew cab, windows up, watching with smirks. After a quick game of Rock, Scissors, Paper, the losing officer sighed and started to get out of the cruiser. “What do you think’s gotten into him?”

The driver gave his partner a smile. “A toothache, man. It’ll drive you crazy.”