( a narrative)

I must escape- flee! ?fly!
~I'm free~
Out the doorway and into the night
It startles me-
so cold it burns my raw hands
It encases me;
it seeps inside me, and comes out in little clouds
My breath follows me as I run
down the uneven sidewalk. I can almost feel
each stone in my foot,
each crack up my leg
I must move faster

Onto the highway and into the open-
Not one headlight in sight
Truly late and oh so quiet;
I can almost hear the streetlamps buzz
...but push on!

Forcing through the cold and down, down,
stumbling and tripping down the slope
Off of the bike path and into the woods
~A river~
So murky and brown, but I can't tell now;
No stars, no moon, and the streetlamps
... so far away

Oh the placid water, on the placid water, the black water
I can see- see a figure sliding
There are more- 2,3,4,5-
a group has appeared:
small silhouetted geese,
barely blacker than the night

It's all so peaceful- this darkness
I can stay here forever, I should stay here forever-
but my hands
and my home
Will they be looking for me?
Are they searching for me and my raw hands?
Is my presence missed or was I just a silhouette,
not quite clear against their sky?

Perhaps I'll stay
a little longer