Survive

She always cooked when worried. I watched her standing in the kitchen mashing the potatoes, studying her face.
"I" I paused as I walked over to her "can't believe you let him..."
"Don't start" she said as she turned towards me.
"No! I can't keep watching you with that," I pointed to her face and her arm, "shit happening all the time."
"Look he loves me. That's all that matters"
"No Suzie that's not love"
"Adam treated you no better"
"But," I pointed to myself "I took a stand."
"Who cares?"
I stepped closer "I do"
"Well obviously not if my happiness isn't important to you"
"You can not be happy with Adam" I said as I crossed my arms "Not when he treats you like this, believe me I know."
"You don't know me"
"I know you better than you know yourself"
She turned and looked back at the potatoes.
"and that scares you don't it" I said
"Shut up, you're a child, you don't understand."
"I don't understand? I've been through it too. The girls in the village warned you when you started dating him, but no you just had to date a man who is 20 years your senior. I can't believe you let him touch you."
"Just let it go"
"No, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."
"No!"  She grabbed my arm. "That will only make it worse"
She stared at the ground and I could see the bruises darkening her cheekbone along with the ones wringing her neck and arms. After a few minutes she finally released me.
I looked at her round belly " you know he's why you keep losing your babies"
She turned away again and I could see her shoulders shaking
"How many miscarriages are you going to have to put yourself through before you realize you have to get out of there Suzie"   I came over and laid my hand gently on her shoulder "Suzie?"
"I know," She said in a whisper so soft it took a second to process. "but how?"
The door slammed open and even I jumped.
"Who are you talking to," Adam yelled.
I could see the vein on his forehead pulsing. "Oh shut up Adam"
"Well?" Adam said as he approached Suzie
"N..noone.." Suzie stuttered. "Just making dinner"
I rolled my eyes "God, Suzie, get a backbone."
Adam smirked "Good girl." He kissed her forehead "I'll set the table."
Suzie visibly shook as she turned back to the potatoes. "Thank you"
Adam grabbed a couple plates and a set of silverware before exiting the kitchen.
I scoffed "You're pathetic. You're letting him get to you."
Suzie turned towards me. "Just go away. You aren't even real." she whispered.
"No I'm who you should be, instead of this simpering little bitch you've become."
"Just shush, I'll talk to him okay?"
"Fine."
Suzie went into the dining room with the potatoes, Adam was sitting there drinking his whiskey.
"Get me more will ya?" Adam said
"N...No." Suzie said
"Atta girl" I said as I sat at the empty barstool. "You can do it."
"What you say?" Adam said as he stood up.
"I'm s..sorry, I'll get it right away." Suzie said as she grabbed his glass and went to the kitchen.
I followed her. "Seriously? You suck. I'm even sick of you. Either do something or don't, but  if you let this continue you'll die here, and so will that baby."
Suzie crossed to the cupboard and brushed some of the arsenic that they left out for the rats, into the glass. She turned back and filled the glass. "No I can't"
"Oh come on he deserves worse than death for all he's done to you. You're doing him a favor."
"But I'll be hung, a womans only place is to take care of her husband"
"Which is what you're doing," I came closer. "just taking care of him. You can say it must have been in the glass. No one will ever know."
"But.." Suzie started as the kitchen door opened again.
"God woman! I can't send you to do the smallest of tasks can I?" Adam said as he reached for his drink.
"No don't!" Suzie said as she reached for the glass.
Adam pushed her arm away before slapping her hard enough to make her fall. "You just want me to hit you don't you."
"No...Please don't" Suzie said as she cowered.
Adam kicked her. "Why did you try to take my drink woman."
"I just haven't put ice in it yet," I said as I stood and reached for the handle on the ice box.

Through The Glass

My breath fogged the window forcing me to wipe the glass. The snow switched directions and the deep rich aroma of hazelnut coffee poured through my nostrils causing me to breathe the icy air deeper into my lungs. I could see a young girl smiling as a plate of hot honey-covered croissants came to sit in front of her. I felt my stomach roll in turmoil as I licked my already chapped lips and dug in my pocket thinking maybe I had missed another quarter. The two quarters' shiny faces sat in my gloved hand, mocking me, and I looked at the menu above the counter, hoping maybe it had changed. A tray of white capped gooey cinammon rolls teetered in a waitress's hands and I found myself praying one would fall so I could have just a bite of the flaky confection. The old man who ate in the corner every Wednesday brought a bite of fluffy pancakes covered in a creamy maple syrup, whipped cream, and strawberries to his lips. I leaned against the window, feeling the cold glass press on the tip of my nose. Again my breath blurred the vision and I sighed. I looked once more at the scene before venturing back out into the night, stuffing the two coins back into my pocket and burying my hands in the slight warmth there.

Texas

The storm clouds gathered in happy union as the suns harsh rays were extinguished. My family and I gathered on the front porch in our pajamas and watched as a few fat drops fell to the hot earth sending healing deep into the roots of anything still living. Thunder rolled as the rain increased and lighting left trails of purple tints in the grey skies above, flashing like a hand orchestrating a beautiful symphony in harmonic disscord, as it left the tempo to be set by the pitter patter of the falling rain. The concrete turned from grey to black as water trailed like rivers through the continent of dried up grass. We danced, like the trees did in the wind, all the while smiling in the relief from the forty fifth day of extreme heat, and all the while praying it would last.

            As the rain slowed, we reentered the house, leaving windows slightly cracked. The cats laid at the windows, pushing themselves as far as they could into the cool breeze, perhaps hoping to escape into the rain as we did. The rain stopped and all that was left was the ocassional roll of thunder in the distance as the hot humid air descended upon us like a prison cell, capturing us in its solid bars.

Evacuation

The smoke laid like a thick curtain on the outside of the windows, only illuminated by the orange glow in the distance. A siren rang out on the street.

            "Honey come on we have to evacuate" Mina said.

            "No, Mina, I can't leave everything! We have too many pets,"

            "A piano is not a pet  Mike,"

            "Can we fit it in the car?"

            Mina shook her head

            "No? Then I'm not leaving!"

            "You are acting like a child Mike," She said tapping her foot.

            "We can't just leave. We worked so hard on this house, for us," Mike said as he came over and put his hand to Mina's belly. "For her,"

            "It's just stuff Mike, replaceable stuff," Mina said as she slid her hand on top of his. "We can get it all again,"

            An explosion rang out in the distance causing them both to jump.

            "Please Mike I can't stay here, I will never get to sleep,"

            "Let me grab something," Mike said as he rushed up the stairs he had been meaning to repair.

            "Hurry up Mike the fire is on it's way here," Mina shouted as she grabbed her bag from the downstairs bedroom.

            "Go on and get in the car I will be there in a minute," Mike responded as he rummaged through the nursery drawers, searching for the ring box.

            Mina walked out into the smog, covering her mouth with her arm, coughing all the way. She set the bag down and checked her pockets.

            "Damn," Mina walked back into the house and around the stairs to the kitchen.

            Mike grabbed the engagement ring box, checking for the ring that sat coddled in the pillow inside. He ran down the stairs and out the door as the wind swept up from behind him.

            Mina felt the heat escalate as she looked out the back window, her hands still on the keys, she could see the fire crawling over the back fence. She ran up the stairs, tripping on a loose board, causing the whole stairway to collapse under her weight as she fell. She screamed out.

            Mike heard the scream as he neared the car, seeing the luggage on the asphalt near the tire he ran back inside. The fire was starting in on the back wall of the house as he jumped down to pull her up.

            "No Mike just go!" Mina screamed, pushing against him.

            "I won't leave you."

            "Just like the piano?"

            "Screw the fucking piano" He said as he pushed her out of the stairway before crawling out after her. "Now come on"

            She limped against him as the fire burned the rug they stood on.

            They got out the door and to the lawn, safe.

             Then, Mike saw the blood.

(Sorry It has been so long) To Get To The Other Side

The boy stared out the window, past the clay models and paintbrushes, at the toy store across the street. His mother grabbed his arm.

            "Jacob! You are in the nice ladies way." She said as a woman started adding things near the clay models.

            "But Mommy I wanna go to the toy store!" He exclaimed as he struggled against her grip.

            "No," his mother said firmly as she looked at her school list.

            "Puhlease!" He begged as he grabbed her leg, forcing her to release him.

            "No means no Jacob. If you ask again we won't stop at Jack in the Box on the way home,"

            "But that's not fair," he said as he looked up at her from the floor.

            "Well then you better behave,"

            "You're just angry cause you're old." He said as he folded his arms over his chest and pushed his lower lip out to pout.

            "Hey now young man, no need for insults," She said, letting out a sigh.

            He sat cross-legged on the floor as she went to check out.

            She handed a couple things to the cashier.

            Jacob slid out the big glass door as a man walked in. He rushed to the street.

            "Jacob Anderson you get your butt back here!" His mother screamed.

            He started across the asphalt as a car horn rang out. He felt a slam and then grass. He looked back to see his mother laying on the street, covered in red.

            He walked over to her. "Mommy? Mommy wake up."

            A woman in a store apron came over and picked him up.

            He screamed. "Mommy!"