some riffraff she didnt say who came around pointed fingers accusing her of
being erratic volatile
she was horrified
I could read her face
I asked if they were friends of
hers
she was mortified
she couldnt read mine
I was joking I said
we hadnt known each other very
long
she wasnt a rat
I told her that boded well for
her I didnt care for people who were
but I also didnt care for people
who wouldnt take to their hind legs for themselves
they were really all they got
or people who needed a little
help and needed only to ask
she wasnt a rat
but what was she
she said we didnt know each other
very long
I could read her
I asked if she thought one needed
to know someone for a long time to expect they might have her back
because people are people an they
either have it or they dont an no amount of time will steel them if they dont
no amount of time is really necessary
if they do
did she see
she hid her face from me behind
her hands an through them she wept I see
now
See I said were getting somewhere
An somewhere is better than
nowhere she sputtered taking her hands
away from her face
Are you taking my lines now My script
says that was my line
she laughed a little
There I said were getting
somewhere
she laughed a little more
it sounded like a small bell a childs
laugh as if nervous as if guessing if it was okay to laugh
timidly fearfully testing the water
hoping there was no rebuke
it seemed she had very few on her
side
I extended my hand to her
she had shrunk to her heels
the night felt palpable a shawl draped at our shoulders
she took my hand
an with effort determined she
stood
we walked towards the street
through the church parking lot
its stained glass watching us by
our right comforting as only deliberate glass can be
consoling probably the ethereal embrace of uttered prayers
their sincere believers
an nearly at the mouth of the lot
to our left I saw two darkened figures walking on the sidewalk
they would be behind us when we
came to the confluence of the street an drive
I briefly thought to alter our momentum
but negated it reasoning any cessation might threaten her or cause her to
shrink
beside they were pedestrians engaged in thoughts and
conversations of their own
they easily could realise our
approach to the street
overheard our murmuring as I heard
theirs
they continued untroubled
we turned right at the walk an
continued ahead of them
she talked quietly
I consoled an encouraged her although slightly distracted at
their approach from behind their voices an exchanges
becoming more apparent
they obviously were walking a
pace quicker than ours
to our right at the end of the
hedge we approached an ungated stone path which lead to the rectory
it was broad an we could easily
sidestep into it to allow them to precede us uninhibited
as I took her elbow their
murmuring louder I felt a coolness marbled with sharp warm tines on my back an
seem to pass into me
a quiver to her elbow like a keen
antenna suggested she had felt something too
at the paths throat we
sidestepped into it
their voices went out quieted
we turned to face our fellows an greet them a fine evening
they werent there
there was the old street its
brick cobblestone visible at failed gaps in the asphalt
the unbroken hedge
the cut stone curb
at the corner an amber street
lamp throwing its amber light endowing our sight
an a quiet heavy exceeding
our own an our withheld breaths
baffled confused
the odd sensation as I held her
elbow remained
resided yet in my body
her splayed hand to her breast to
her throat told me the same was hers
where were they
1357,
Sunday, 6 12. 15
