What Left from Here

For decades the maps pointed east and south and west — Asia, Africa, the Americas — anywhere but this ground.

Sixty-five million years ago the lineage began in Europe. One hundred three genomes, forty-four fossils, Vielasia on the oldest branch.

Flight and the click were not added later. They sat at the root already working — wing finding air, sound finding what wing could not.

The first leaving went into Africa. From that Euro-African core the rest of the world filled. Somewhere the old maps still hang, pointing away from the place the first bat left.