A Little Afrighted

Bitten nails

digging into bleeding palms

sweat gathers

pooling beneath taut back

eyes wide with fear

smell of alcohol

cigarette hangs from his mouth

leaning in close

leer on his lips

searing pain

scream wrenched free

hot

fire

stabbing inside

needle sharp

blood gushes forth

he stands

runs for the door

leaving her to die

to bleed out on the floor.

Countless stories

multitudes of tales

headlines

each one more graphic than the last.

Women dying

by the scores

unable to save themselves.

1950’s?

1940’s?

1930’s?

1920’s?

No

these battered tales

take place in 2022.

©June 28/22