Pseudopod 132: The Valknut
March 6th, 2009 12:01 am

By Dan Dworkin

Read by Ben Phillips

When I wake I’m craving almonds and want to die. Pretzeled in the top sheet, fighting the light… hurts when I move, go easy… something died in my mouth, breath could bring down a plane, and the light… Jesus, that’s… fuck, that’s bright. Hot too… pores fuming booze… sheets wet, what the… oh God I must’ve… I mean, I haven’t been that fucked up since… clothes on still, one shoe, nice touch… stomach in revolt, just thinking about it makes… aw Christ, I’m gonna… run for it, wait… that was close. Too close. Why do I do this? Now if only I could remem– Wait a… I catch my reflection in the mirror, one shoe on, halfway to the bathroom… I approach, stick out my neck and the new mark there… what the f…? Is that…? Aww man, what did I do? What the hell did I do?!

 
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01
Krispin
March 6th, 2009 7:40 pm

Best one in quite a little while. Perfect for Mr. Phillips’ reading style. It sort of reminded me of my youth.

Sure did seem as if it were set in Atlanta.

02
scatterbrain
March 8th, 2009 7:00 pm

Hmmm, creepy.

03
Dave
March 9th, 2009 4:18 pm

Awesome story!!! Frightening…more from Dan please!

04
kdeezy
March 9th, 2009 9:03 pm

I love Ben’s reading.

Man, I’m not really sure I understand the ending, or the addicting to almonds.

05
devora
March 11th, 2009 12:51 am

FABULOUS reading: Ben is stunning. I’m going to drink some amaretto to celebrate this fantastic show. It begins w/ the all-too-familiar hangover and ends w/ the idea that being cynical will not extricate you from your daily life. Oh, yeah, and tats can crawl into yer ears. Good lesson. Pass the revenge covered almonds, please.

06
Colin
March 23rd, 2009 3:57 am

I had the pleasure of listening to this on the drive back from St. Patrick’s day with a wicked hangover, and given that’s how the story starts, I got really drawn in. Nice and spooky — keep ‘em coming.

07
ben
March 25th, 2009 5:25 am

[SPOILER]

kdeezy - The protagonist found himself haunted by a deceased tattoo artist with the same craving (hence the cans at his shrine).

08
The Fix | From the Podosphere: March 2009
April 23rd, 2009 11:22 am

[...] begins the month of March with the shudder-inducing “The Valknut” by Dan Dworkin, a story of a man who wakes up with a tattoo on his neck, and no recollection [...]