bound
By Leigh-Anne Mauk
the darkness swallows me up
the slap of feet crushes the velvet night
a branch snaps
my head jerks up
I stop
frozen
a deer caught in the open
waiting for that explosion to rend my heart
silence descends
the trees go by once more
moonlight shines down
flinching
I shudder and move on
screaming
thunder erupts next to me
the ground kicks up and out
I stumble
grasping nothing but air
the moon is gone now
to my knees I fall
my hands ripping apart the earth
searching for that last link to my past
the rain coldly comes
shivering
slicing down silver knives
I want to scream but can't
my hands finally find what they seek
I bundle my woes into my arms
and crouching on the cold wet earth
necessity demands I wait
another scream
the door finally opens
one voice curling around the rain
wade in the water children
five words are enough
I take to my feet and lunge forward again
two three four
hours bloom in front of me like daises
five shuddering six
my body begs collapse
but I cannot stop
the north wind comes
tugging anxiously at my hair
a thousand voices echo through me
over and around me
and I see it
the boundary that separates us from them
with my last little strength
I jump across it
that invisible line my eyes never saw
the shackles fall away unbidden
the barest murmur of a sigh
the baby in my arms looks up at me with asking eyes
soon now
I whisper softly to her
soon.
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