I shake the knob
But it does not budge
Hoping the door will open
On its own accord
I live alone
Sleep alone
No one to hold onto
In this desperate hour
I search myself
Pound my fist
Against the door
Such an idiot
My purse
Keys
Still in the car
Fading fast
I must escape
This cruel world
Before it devours me whole
I hurry along to the patio
The sky flailing the land
With its dark seeds
Good thing
An extra key
Is hidden in the flowerbed
No way
I can survive this
Otherwise
I lean over
Sharp teeth
Knifing into my forearm
Piercing the flesh
And ripping chunks from me
Involuntarily
The puppy falls from my arms
As Frank Snow
The retiree next door
Pounces on me
I never liked him
Not even
When he was alive
Especially now
That his wife has passed away
The walls between us are thin
Every argument
Every time her head
Slammed into the wall
Broadcast
As if in stereo
But I was not there
When the police arrived
And the fighting stopped for good
Darcy died of a brain aneurism
Or so I was told
Letting Frank off the hook
But I knew
It was the culmination
Of years of abuse
From her black-hearted husband
Who now had eyes for me
And so his wish came true
Draped over me
Biting into my shoulder
I am defenseless
But hardly submissive
My collarbone snaps
As I stab his eyes
With my thumbs
Bearing down with all my might
Till they burst
He cowers
Burying his face
In his hands
Surprised at the fight
In this tiny frame
I grab a rock from the garden
Split open his skull
Keep smashing
Till his cries cease
Quickly
I snatch up the key
Throw it in the lock
And turn
Bailey’s limp body
Sagging in my arms
I rip open the door
Slam it shut
Watching my blood
Drip over the gray tile floor
Foolish enough to believe
I am safe
Even for an instant
As the neighbors peer inside
The myriad of windows
Lining my walls
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