Crank (Crank 1)

Good thing I wasn’t a freshman.

I’d have gotten lost, somewhere

between gym and the chem lab.

(Almost did, in fact.) I collected

handouts; tried to follow list upon

list of curricular expectations;

tried, failing miserably, to conquer

new locker combinations; avoided

eye contact with teachers, staff, and

most definitely school police;

ducked Sarah and Trent so I didn’t

have to listen to their chitchat;

spent lunch far from anything close

to food, even though I trembled

from near starvation. All the while

feeling like my head would burst

from thinking so damn much when

all my brain wanted to do was

close down and fall deep into REM

sleep. I considered climbing under

the bleachers, letting it do just that

before I did something really dumb

like passing out, but just about then

the final bell rang.

Day One

blessedly behind me,

I rode the belching bus

home

wondering how I would

possibly make it to