Ambulance

like the empty haloed ambulance in the seven eleven parking lot at two am last late august
that might have had somebody dead inside but didn't
her presence was strange, impossible, unwelcome, awkward, mysterious
beautiful
and he hated it
it wasn't fucking worth it
just a meaningless papercut splayed knock-kneed across her windshield
he needed a new one now and fast
even if the initial sting was nothing six advil taken two at a time within a minute couldn't fix
and so she went running about with scissors and yarn to tie the infinite knots around him that would pull everything
straight into its proper place
just like the blood-freckles that covered his nose the first time they ever kissed
and he asked if it was okay
merely because he wasn't
but she tore out his tongue for fear of choking
and up and out and away she went
but from then on he could only mumble apologies and suddenly she could whittle curses two at a time, six a minute
they reminded each other that his injuries were honestly quite terrifying
addictions and enchantments couldn't hardly compare to their juxtaposed bruises
but she bit her nails and sighed it away on the early winter wind
he lit a cigarette to burn his throat
and the icu wailed for her to return with him in her arms
like a beached mermaid who needs to see her back to shore
even though it could never ever stay
and their bullshit destinies are the mislaid pieces of yarn pulling them
apart
inch by forgone inch