The Battle of the Unwanted Anklet Inspired by the true and harrowing tale of a centipede that breached the walls of our home, skittered across Amy’s ankle like a cursed gothic bracelet, and vanished into legend. For 3 terrifying evenings, the beast roamed free- a many-legged horror with no respect for personal boundaries or living room zoning laws. At last, I spotted it making a desperate charge toward the back of the house, where surely it intended to establish a kingdom of shadows beneath the furniture. Armed not with a battle axe, flaming sword, or barbarian war-cry, but with a tiny handheld vacuum, I engaged the creature in single combat. The battle was brief, the suction decisive, and the monster was later released unharmed into the wild, where it may now trouble the ankles of other woodland beings. (This image represents the event as it felt emotionally, rather than as it occurred historically.)