“the barbie slasher” is one of three terrifically twisted takes on famous dolls which sally burnette contributed to our Spring 2018 issue.

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IT’S SUMMER & THESE COOL TEENS ARE AT A PARTY // it’s this one girl’s birthday // you can tell from the blurry balloons // & tiered cake in the background // she chugs what is implied to be vodka // & there’s this soft flashback// to when she was a little girl

it was her birthday // she got angel face barbie & was so happy // innocent // wholesome // or whatever // & now she’s covered in glitter // & dancing suggestively to generic club music // which screeches & suddenly // everyone’s in slow motion for a few seconds //

the camera zooms in // & nestled in the shiny pile of gifts // is the same barbie from before // ! // except she’s like evil now // as evidenced by her red eyes // peering around menacingly

people start getting slashed // there’s blood all over the guy-whose-parents-are-in-cabo-for-the-weekend’s house // & eventually everyone escapes // or dies

except birthday girl // who was the primary target all along // but has somehow survived

she limps around the darkened silent mansion // & when she enters the kitchen // she encounters barbie wielding a sharpened stiletto heel // she grabs a knife & screams // they fight // & finally stab each other // it’s unclear who wins // because the screen blacks out // then flashes forward // to when the paramedics arrive

the camera pans first to the girl // waking up on a stretcher// then to barbie // decapitated

one red eye // twitches

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sally burnette is originally from North Carolina but currently lives in Boston, where they teach at Emerson. Their work has appeared or is forthcoming in Nat. Brut, BOAAT, Pittsburgh Poetry Review, Calamus Journal, and Yes, Poetry.