"Hematoma"

I crawled through the window in our basement apartment not wanting to face you. I just wanted sleep, deep, dark sleep. I contorted my body through the window to my bedroom, praising myself for leaving it unlocked. I caught a glass paint jar in mid air as my toe tipped it over the edge. I crawled into the bed, sheets stale and cold like the state of my mind. I never slept so good. I woke to the feeling of warm breath in my ear, a dog panting in eagerness to be noticed. The mattress around my head seemed to create a wormhole, and I felt like I must be dreaming. I opened my eyes. You were straddling my body, blankets tight like a straight jacket. Your tough hands created the space my head rested in. You were the dog panting in my ear. I held my breath as you gritted your teeth in anger at being tossed from the balcony. You told me all the things you would do to me when we were alone. I could see the hematoma on your skull and I smiled on the inside. Aleathia Drehmer 2007