Driving

The hum of the engine comforts her now
Legs pressed against the cheap stitched plastic seats
The humidity is fleeting and the evening chill sets in
Four windows rolled down accepting the wind
She sniffs and sucks in her lips and swallows.
The mascara ran away when she did.

The wind teases her hair wild.
She has never been so solitary.
Arms here and there used to entwine her
Give her warmth and a heart beat to mask her own
But they ended up being briars and thorns
Scratching and clawing and taking chunks of her
With each swift pass
She ran.

The dotted yellow line flashes faster as her foot
Leans forward onto the gas pedal
The cadence of four tire treads on the freeway
Echoing the blood pounding in her ears
RUN! RUN! RUN! RUN! RUN! RUN! RUN!

She inhales deeply, her breath catching on her jagged-edged heart
Broken glass in blood, a black eye, a purple thigh.
If only these were the only trace.