Is Alive

The murder happens every night with slight variations. What is the same is that the murderer, after stabbing his victim, is somehow overpowered and also dies in a pool of blood. The murderer and the victim, side by side, their blood mixing.

More and more people watch. We've become brave, knowing how we cannot change fate. We will never murder. We will never be murdered. We sit closer and closer to the crime scene.

One night it happens in a theater. We were watching opera. An aria, a death, applause. We are excited to see how they will play out the murder the following night.

A street, a restaurant, a school. The same red pool of blood.

I come closer to the dead bodies. The murderer wakes up, is alive, and grabs my leg.

Syllabus

We are talking about the syllabus. S is angry. N in between us, quiet. S keeps talking until N laughs and leans over for a kiss. I try to catch S's eye but she doesn't see me. I stare in disbelief, feeling more and more betrayed.

as if we were still children

he tells me he is afraid and asks me to sleep in his room.

his room: white curtains. sturdy desk. twin beds on opposite ends of the room.

from my room to his room, i go back and forth, carrying some things i need.

my room: blue. sturdy desk. a bed. books. a little dresser. dark.

back and forth. first, a brush. then, a pillow. a book. it seems like my trips will never end. i am angry at myself.

i feel a presence. from the end of the corridor, someone is watching. i hurry back to his room and shut the door.

school project

we are 15 years old.

they haven't forgiven each other, even though we've traveled back in time.

i feel responsible for this school project and give them assignments.

S says something funny. we all laugh. the air becomes lighter and i feel such relief.

cold and trapped

i say something that makes him snap. he comes into the bathroom where i am taking a shower. "what did you say? what did you say?" his mouth is foaming from anger. i lean across the wall, cold and trapped. i start to shiver.

he lunges forward and goes for my throat.