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Off Peak Day Return


 by Olive McCoy

Cinematic self-indulgence,

eyes rimmed red with rain and

stirling smoke.

Lips,

slightly parted,

wet as devils.

Slick skins and hoarse throats.

Running through tick infested grass,

lucky to have survived

screaming half remembered songs

in a language I never really spoke.

It felt like an ending.

I wanted to draw blood.

die in that frame,

escape my sickly mind,

sever those fleshy ties

that keep my weak soul

wandering.

But I knew you would want

to play saviour,

tell me I was selfish,

senseless,

and sordid.

You would tell me that

if I stayed,

drinking spit-warm vodka,

I would miss my train

and waste the money I had

already spent

on my return ticket.


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