dream

My eyes pop open as the cold air attaches to my wet skin. I turn my collar up with a shiver. The sky above glows a faint red, even though it is late at night. Why does the sky do that every time it snows? Is the snow reflecting the light back towards the sky? Why red? I shake my head to loose the childish thoughts. I approach the alley that runs behind my house. I smell the smells of take out, of the Thai restaurant that sits on the corner. Garbage blows around my feet like rose petals as I make my way down the damp, dark alley, past the yellow cat with a stump for a tail, past the old man with those dark green eyes, whose skin is as ashy as the fag in his mouth. He watches me, looking past my coat at the bounce of my breast under my sweater with his imaginary x-ray eyes. This time it’s five steps past him before I hear his footsteps following. I think quickly, my eyes darting around for a sudden weapon that wasn’t there before. I hear his breath before he catches up to me. I turn on my heels and hold my hands up before him. “WAIT!” He punches me square in the jaw, sending me sailing into a puddle of dark dirty water. The salty metallic taste of blood sends me gagging as I struggle to get up. He has me pinned under his knees, his breath and his spit falling down on my exposed chest. He punches me once more in the face for good measure. His belt buckle chinks in the wind as I turn my head away from the horror above me. I feel the stab between my legs, my body jolting at the filthy, burning sensation. He grounds my body in time with his raspy breathe. I’m envious of the trash hiding under the dumpster, of the roaches that scuttle along safely out of view. I feel the cold air against my wet skin. I close my eyes and I pray to no one.