Burning of Judas | Dale Stromberg

1. The Devil got my:

a) stock options

b) recumbent bicycle

c) golf swing

d) no-bid contract

Bellatrix at the bakery: tray in one hand, tongs in the other, picking out the bread she wants. This bakery isn’t cheap, but the prices feel worth it since she’s doing some of the work herself.

She gets two cheese-stuffed garlic rolls and a blackcurrant brioche. Goes to the register.

“Sorry, wait. No.” Bellatrix gestures curtly to the girl in the too-precious kerchief—management probably makes her wear it. The girl was just putting the bread into a paper bag. “Separately, please.”

The girl starts to wrap each item in its own sheet of paper. “No,” says Bellatrix. “Break them up, please.”

The girl breaks the bread into small pieces. “Smaller,” says Bellatrix.

The girl breaks the pieces into smaller pieces. “Smaller yet,” says Bellatrix.

The girl mashes and shreds the bread into numberless crumbs. “Good,” says Bellatrix. “Paper, please.”

The girl opens a drawer beside the cash register and brings out a box of tiny paper envelopes, each no larger than a postage stamp. Each crumb of bread goes into an envelope, which the girl licks and seals meticulously. The line of waiting customers behind Bellatrix grows longer and longer.

These paper envelopes go into larger waxed paper envelopes. Ten paper envelopes to one waxed paper envelope.

The waxed paper envelopes go into sealable plastic baggies. Ten waxed paper envelopes to one sealable plastic baggie. All this Bellatrix watches with luxuriating contentment.

The plastic baggies all go into a large paper bag. The girl in the kerchief tapes up the paper bag. Then, because it is raining today, she wraps the paper bag in a clear vinyl bag, presumably waterproof, and tapes this up as well. This parcel goes into a smart carrying bag with string handles.

Bellatrix receives this bag with an air of unsurpassed satisfaction. She strides from the bakery like a gambler who has just fleeced the house.

Dale Stromberg grew up not far from Sacramento before moving to Tokyo, where he had a brief music career. Now he lives near Kuala Lumpur and makes his living as an editor and translator. His work has been published here and there.