Page 92 - TheBridge_Vol16

FLASHPOINTS

Jessica Rinker

Tell me, what do you do when you love him?
—Unromantically.
The man who hurts you can be anyone at all.
He can be the man who loved you first.
First, after God.

Tell me, what do you do when he’s angry as a flame?
—Flashpoints.
It only takes 80 degrees for 80 proof to ignite.
Caught in explosions.

Tell me, what do you do when he doesn’t mean it?
—Honestly.
He never smells his own smoke.
He just coughs.

Tell me, what do I do when there’s nothing to do?
—Helpless.
The smoke makes me cry.
I just cry.

Tell me, do tears extinguish flame?
—Hopefully.
Either way, the fire eventually runs out of fuel.
And he is left in ashes.
I sweep up.

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