Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions (Wicked Lovely 5.50)

Mickey drops the cigarette butt

into his can of Pepsi.

It sizzles as the fire dies.

“He was so heavy.”

He presses the back of his hand

against his mouth,

as if those four words

are the first drops in a flood

that will drown us all.

“Heavy, like a sandbag,

in my arms.

And behind that door.

It took both of us,

me and our sister, Siobhan,

to push it open.

I thought, What idiot got so wasted

they passed out on our bathroom floor?

And probably puked all over

Mom’s favorite guest towels,

and we’ll have to clean it up,

and I swear to God,

this is the last party

we’ll ever have.”

He shakes the Pepsi can,

the cigarette butt rattling

staccato.

“So the door finally opens,

and there’s no puke,

no blood,

no nothing.