Jennifer Ritenour

Jennifer Lorene Ritenour was born, raised, and presently resides in San Pedro, California. She also lived in Las Vegas, Nevada at one point in time. Her writing is informed by place. Her style has been described as dirty fabulism. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Witness Magazine, the Santa Monica Review and Waxwing, among other places. For more information visit: jenniferloreneritenour.com

THE EARTHWORM by Jennifer Ritenour

December 11, 2021 · Fiction

Earthworm unfurls from an egg. No siblings. Only this one worm of two sexes. E wiggles in fluid and then presses herms face against the soft wall of the cocoon. A beat comes from the other side. Aware of hermself, E is now alive. E thrusts and pushes until the wall tears. Darkness, slick cool mud. The cocoon is now deflated behind herm. The lub dub, lub dub, lub dub is the pulse of Mother Earth and also the beat of herms five hearts. Earthworm slides through the dirt. Stomach pangs. E opens herms mouth. Soil flows in and through…

Crow Jonah Norlander