SALTY SWIMMING POOLS

She pour the water bottle over my

blood hand.

I not hear what she say,

her tongue, mouth, words

all

happening too much fast.

Jess is angry,

in devastation,

totally pissed-off with me.

She is correct to be.

But

I want for her to give me

tight hug

and tell me

    everything going to be all right.

Instead

she do the big panic.

I try rub blood off my hand.

Again Dan’s liquid

drop

one

two

on my shoe.

Blue and red lights

blur past,

and I thinking of Dan, poor guy,

and me without brain,

and why I always do the stupid thing.

Why?

What idiot idea

to using my protect.

And it come …

Like Falls of Niagara it come.

I can’t to control

the tears.

My stomach and shoulders

bouncing

bouncing

bouncing

like the

doof

doof

doof

on the night of our

ice skate

date.

And I still can’t to breathe.

‘Come on, Nicu,’ Jess say.

And she making her thumbs do car wiper on my eyes.

‘Jesus, don’t cry.

It was self-defence.

I saw it.

There’s CCTV cameras all over the place to prove it.

I’m telling you, it was self-defence.’

Jess move closer.

Arms out.

We become one,

hugging.

She is warming.

Her touching help peace my mental

and my body.

‘I only want to scare on him, Jess,’ I say.

‘I know you did.’

‘It happen fast.’

‘Exactly.’

‘Maybe I make just little hole in him.’

‘Whatever it was, we better get out of here.’

‘Where?’ I say.

The mobile phone shine light on

Jess face.

‘Liam,’ she say.

‘Liam, is that you?’