SCREAMS
It was the nightmare of all nightmares.
I can’t talk about it. I woke screaming!
So loud, that neighbors who ignore the
daily gunshots, rushed in to me.
My door was kicked in. The wood
splintered and the three deadbolts
showed their uselessness. But I
already knew ANYONE can get to you.
Four bodies rushed in, scaring me
ever more, as just coming awake –
they temporarily had faces of my
past abusers. All nasty relatives.
Of course I screamed again. “Mom”
tried to grab me and I throat punched
her. It was really Susan from across
the hall. Everyone else stepped back.
Voices asked, “What’s wrong?” Except
poor Susan who was gasping to breathe.
Faces came slowly into focus…Frankie,
Ava and Luna. Two girls and a gurl.
Susan, at 300lbs, must have been the
one to break in the door. I almost
smiled knowing that I had taken her
down. “I had a nightmare flashback.”
Everyone in these apartments have
their own demons haunting them.
They helped Susan up and out and Ava
said she’d send Danny to fix the door.
The landlord would never know the
damage happened. We often covered
each other’s asses – sometimes we
even UNCOVERED each other’s asses.
None of them are my friends, but we
are bonded by addiction, mental illness
and poverty. America’s true melting
pot for the lowest dredge class of all.
I went back to sleep.
