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Sarah Wagner lives in West Virginia with her family. Her work has appeared in Twilight Times, Lyrica, and Fantastic Stories of the Imagination. For more information, please visit her site: www.freewebs.com/sarahwagner

Enough by Sarah Wagner

Dark metal shining - glistening
In the fragments of jagged lamplight
Natural in her hand, made for her
So cold against her palm.

Rain beating on the window in rhythm with her heart
Tears trickle down her ruined face
Sliding from swollen lids, stinging broken skin.

His voice echoes through the house - searching

Matching the cadence of thunder
A glass shatters against the wall
The dry explosion and wind chime of glass like spurs.

The sharp dressed bottle on the table

Calls her name, wills her unsteady hand
Professing to be Strength and Courage.

Swallowing the first
White hot fire on split lips

Downing the last
Wallowing in the slow burn.

His voice - wickedly perfect
Charming as he pleads

Purring as he taunts, threatens
A lullaby to rock her wits to sleep.

Before her resolve can go the way of her youth
One chance. Stabbed by fear,

Splashed with cold water reason
One chance. No choice.

Hot and smoldering - the gun bites
Deaf in the wake of shock

Dark wet-penny smell clinging to her
Skin newly red freckled
Through the swelling skin curtain
She watches him fall and cries.