- My toes feel as
fingers clutching at the chain.
- Pointer toe bears the
ring. I'm wed to the rubber
- stopper. There is
still light. It's 4 p.m. or so.
- There are voices in
the yard laughing.
- My brother, his
friend.
- It's early to be in
the tub. Why?
- The bop-noise of a
ball-kicked. Laughter,
- bop-kick, shouts.
Curious, I dis-
- engage toe to
carefully stand.
- No rubber mats then.
I peek out window.
- feel a sliver of
pain, a slice.
- I glance down. What?
- From sill pricks the
remains
- of decapitated
thumbtack.
- Maroon line of rust
runs down tiles.
- My chest, still
girl-flat, bleeds.
- My nipple runs red.
- It flows down my
stomach,
- pools into navel.
Courses
- down thighs, knees.
- The boys are gone.
- The water has grown
cold.
- My mother knocks, am
I
- about ready? She
pulls the chain
- and the stopper pops.
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