Love Among Thorns

Blak

of my hous

the clock tick in the

rd the way my mother smiled with h

most pretend I was

mo

my mattress, arms wrapped around my knees,

ght downstairs rose in pitch - another argument about the car payment, about

tter what th

ays burned t

ilt - a habit I didn't remember picking up,

the memories fr

from blooming later, whe

a child

nine

pposed t

ved in fairy tales and birthday wishes - whispered, Maybe afte

elest word in the

ownstairs. Footsteps pounded tow

ng f

shaky hand, heart beating

rule - but my fingers twisted the lock any

ndle r

oor s

ittle brat," my

ow. Onto the narrow strip of roof just outsi

grab shoes. Or my

ust

ankle twisting, but I

could

esitated - I wouldn'

gh the alleyways behind our street

re but

re but

y lungs, sharp and ra

s blurred and the concrete tilt

blee

dl

y arms, knees - maybe

blood turne

it made my

into a part of the city I'

s ever

uzzing like

dangerous - spillin

all, fingers leaving red smears

ted t

d to di

s when he

a

way that kniv

it. Dar

look lik

ised to find a broken gir

saving me would be one mo

came

uld see the faint scar slicing through his eyebr

rough like gravel but someh

ed to

o tell him

pered, "Please

lurred into

Moret

my arms like a

li

sm

uch b

sing under my breath as her

in. Bones sharp un

mn

- Velvet - where the boys were still ins

ad seen

ne b

ant no w

uest

exc

leave

leave h

n't my b

es heavier than the bullets in my gun - and I

en, please don't hurt me -

ven in this business. Not

il

between not hurting t

had never been

into my arms like some idiot

t my shoulder, a tremo

smeared

lawing at me - the one that said protect

os

ough the alley as he stepped outside. His hand

ielding her with my b

" I snapped. "S

the blood

ed a

to get ri

him for a

be cleane

mp

hing I thought I'd buried years ago

d, my voice

he casual indifference only a ma

e, feeling the frantic flutter

e. B

n the emergency room and walk a

als asked

ls left

raw terror etched into her sleepi

't survive

like

e was running from

t - fuck me -

pro

ponsib

ulling my jacket tighter around h

red but d

ed at Dom. "We're tak

dn't

n't ha

han to question me whe

the waiting car, a bitte

't a g

retende

t even understand yet, I wasn't

for

ot ever