Back Again

Stacey

When I recognized the road,

twisting, snow-topped,

my heart stopped.

Mark didn’t even want me to come.

He told me to stay at rehearsal,

but I couldn’t let him go

without me

because I knew if

I did it would be

over because he

already had that far

away look in his eyes,

telling me he wanted to be

alone.

He parked the same place

as last time, by a pile of logs

marking the dead end of the road

and without a word

disappeared into the trail,

shoulders hunched,

determined.

Two whole hours I sat in the car

freezing, rubbing my hands together,

wondering what the hell I was doing

tagging along on this mad journey

to nowhere with some guy who’s

obviously going completely

crazy

When I could be doing hair and makeup,

stuff I’m good at, instead of sitting here

like a fifth wheel in some little car

in the woods, wondering what would happen

if Mark never returned and nobody even knew

where I was, leaving me completely

stranded.