“I need to talk to you about something,” he said.
There was a momentary pause
which for me felt like hours.
I consider what he said
Focusing on everything but his eyes
the scrap of paper on the floor
and the black scuff marks on his shoe
the pale white line of light reflected on the carpeting
I’m too scared to look up
at the 6-foot lean figure
A tower of unwanted unease
I fall into a state of unconsciousness
A temporary coma
I’m trapped in a box that’s stapled and glued
someone stomps on the floor upstairs
violently and ceaselessly
I thought I heard someone playing the drums
so hard that the wooden stick ripped through the animal skin
but it was only my heart
Palpitating to the uneven rhythm of my own thoughts
A syncopation of short raspy breaths
I crane my neck and stare into his ice blue eyes
“Okay” I said.