Sayuri Yamada – My Pregnancy
44 Merrion Way
Westhampton
Bottshire
WE29 5QU
78-N Hadfield House
27 Sheep Street East
Grimsend-on-Sea
Bottshire
GR55 8DD
42/08/20G11
Dear Mr Sinclair Randal,
I would like to thank you for your enquiry about the embryo. He hatched two days ago and is already six centimetres long. Because there is no longer egg shell around him, there is no longer egg shell between him and me in my uterus, so he is able to learn better from the outside world. I am reading aloud a Step-by-step Book About Anacondas by Melanie Ashton (London: J Harrison Publishing, 20B19.) Although he might not need the knowledge of being a snake, his instinct could tell him everything, it would not harm him.
I wonder what happened to the egg shell. He might have consumed it, which must have provided abundant calcium for his bones.
I have not named him. I do not know when he will be born, how old he will be then, he could be adult when he is out of me. Then he will probably want to decide his name for himself or he might not want a name. I will ask him when he is out. If he wants me to give him a name, I will think about it, I might ask you for your suggestions.
As for me, I have cravings for capybara and turtle meat. They must be from him. He must want me to eat them for him. Since you have your business partnership in South America, I take the liberty of inquiring how to obtain those meats.
My legs have varicose veins as if I were an old woman. My legs are no longer what you admired with your tongue. They are blotchy and the ankles are more substantial. They are no longer long and slender. I walk with my legs open. Furthermore, I have striae rubra on my abdomen and bosom. The former is round and large, the skin is tight with the winding lines. The latter is as big as honeydew melons and the areola is large and dark brown. Your tongue as well as your eyes will be disappointed to see them next time. Those things, however, do not worry me too much. My concentration is on him, not on me. I might be ugly, I might be ugly forever even when he is out of me. Still my duty is to grow him healthily in my uterus as long as he stays there. My looks do not bother me much anymore, it is only on the surface. It is not important.
He moved two seconds ago. He must be taking pleasure in swimming in the amniotic fluid. Since his body is longer than before, his movement is similar to on-coming waves. He is often active between 03:00 and 05:00. It is half past three in the morning now. He is nocturnal; he is usually quiet in the day time. I often have a long nap with him and am then wide awake at night, cleaning my place, shopping, walking, and writing to you.
I sense that he wants to swallow a whole animal instead of digested meat through me. Unfortunately I cannot supply it for him, because my throat does not extend like a snake; I am only a human being, inadequate and plain.
In the near future if he still stays inside, I will be incapacitated in bed. He will be too heavy for my legs to support. It will be, however, a joy to witness how big he grows.
By the way, how is your business? I am sure it is as prosperous as usual since you are adept at dealing with people and have a good sense of avoiding the law. Temazepam you mentioned in your last letter seems promising for the future. Because it is a legal prescription drug in many countries, it can go undercover easily. I would like to purchase some as well, since my offspring is big enough to enjoy it with me. It would be heaven to hallucinate together.
I used a maternity support belt to ease my back pain for a while, however, I stopped a week ago, since it had not reduced the pain and it caused skin irritation underneath. When I thought I would have to endure the pain any way, my kind friend suggested I exercise in water. Since I started taking swimming lessons for pregnant women, the pain has lessened a little. Moreover, it is a great pleasure to swim with him: I in the swimming pool and he in the amniotic fluid. Of course we go to midnight swimming classes.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Eunice Murray
Eunice Murray
Sayuri Yamada was born in Japan and moved to England in 2003 after searching a country to live permanently in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and French Polynesia for ten years. She finished studying Creative and Critical Writing in a postgraduate course at the University of Winchester in 2011. She has published work Barzakh, Panache, Icarus Down Review, and other journals, both in the U.K. and the U.S.