the evil in my core threatening
to eviscerate me.
Would you think it a mercy killing?
Brendan Pulled Up
at the foot of my driveway,
didn’t so much as glance my way
until I opened the door
and creaked to the curb.
Then he turned and tossed the
dwindled bindleat my feet.
You owe me $250.
Would you believe
I paid up?
I Stumbled up the Driveway
wanting desperately to shed
the lingering traces of eau de Brendan.
Even messed up, I realized
I couldn’t very well go inside and straight
into the shower.
Someone might wonder.
So I aimed for the hot tub, threw back
the cover, almost gagged on eau de chlorine.
But I didn’t care.
Steamy water bubbled around me, over me,
jetted inside me.
The monster laughed out loud.
Cleansed, chlorinated to the point of chemical
peel, sore muscles relieved,
I felt almost human again.
Tiptoe to my room, up a darkened hall,