Reddish hackles, gray wings, black tail. I’d cared for him since he was a chick. Someday he would win at cockfighting, my favored childhood sport. My aunt's family came to visit from their provincial town. My mom met all their demands. They asked me to join at dinner, but the only dish remaining was chicken bones. "The most delicious fried chicken ever, who’s cooking?" said my aunt's son. "Exactly. It's the best fried rooster," replied my aunt. I trembled, then rushed to the kitchen, looking for an axe to split the dinner table as they split my beloved rooster's breast.
Damhuri Muhammad is a Jakarta-based writer. He is the managing editor of Porch Literary Magazine. X: @damhurimuhammad