~Written by Danielle N. Bilski ~

Rare breath

Written by Danielle Bilski

At first
bubbles rise to the surface
float a few seconds,
then pop.
Her hair snakes around her head,
long tentacles like an octopus
performing a duck-dive.
Suddenly the bubbles stop,
everything becomes still.
A breeze wisps through trees
lining the shallow sandbank,
frog croaks unseen
in reeds nearby.
A wet, gloved hand
letting go of the back of her head,
replaced by  a damp hood,
her jacket.
She is guided,
unresisting,
the tide wrapping itself around her.

Her eyes are open,
staring,
pale as the water
they cannot see.
Her arms and legs
splayed lifelessly,
a human starfish.
Her purple Converse All Stars,
matching the ripened bruises
decorating her arms.
Broken nose smeared red,
mouth open
devoid of breath.

His shoes squelch
wet sand oozing
following him
to a dirt track.
Dusty Toyota Hilux ute
her final ride
waiting patiently
unoccupied.
Step one,
step two,
step three.
Heart pounding
his pocket
mimics the vibration.
He extracts her
purple coated iPhone.
‘As long as you love me,’ resounds,
amplified by isolation.
Caller ID
Mum.

He jerks the rubber cover off,
exposing the smooth black surface.
Declining the call,
phone switched off
cannot be traced.
Taking out keys,
a deep line scratched
dinted LCD screen.
Slowly,
deliberately,
E-V-E-N.
Cover Frisbees
splash in her liquid grave,
lands further than she has drifted.
Phone re-enveloped by his pocket,
an idle message
to be delivered.

My time with you

©2013 Danielle N. Bilski