Memories

Speeding down the highway..
Crushed together on
the back floor boards
of our old station wagon..
Mom driving fast..
Cigarette in hand..
I watch the long
ash burning down..
Waiting for it to fall..
Windows open..
Ashes blow on us all..
Burning our eyes..
Gray speckles in our hair..
Funny thing to remember
As we are running
For our lives..
Our freedom
Our sanity
Drive faster mommy!!
We don't care..
Would rather DIE
Than go back there..
Her hands shaking ..
She lights another cigarette
Then another..
Faster
Faster we drive..
Trying to get away..
We hear a car horn blaring.
We know he is close behind..
Faster Mommy
We are running
out of time..
He screams..
You are all dead!!!
Stop this car
or blood will shed!!
We all scream
Chidren trying to hide..
Putting arms over ears
Hands over eyes..
Scared but somehow happy..
Still a chance to escape..
No more living in fear..
No more hate..
No more visits
in the night..
Freedom..
I will die for this..
Just the chance..
To make life right..
Just a chance to be alive.
Go faster!!
please don't stop!!
But she does..
She ALWAYS does..
She is his wife..
They stand on the highway
Talk scream fight..
We drive back home in silence..
With promises
of a new life..
But I am ten ..
No longer a child..
He is in my room
that very same night..
I wait to try again
another day..
This time on my OWN...
Try and try to run away.

Erica