Down the Rabbit Hole

Dismal Afternoon

The trees lining the narrow two-lane highway between the office and home, had long surrendered their bright fall colors to smog and cold. The landscape was turning, inevitably, to a shade of rust all over. Despite the brilliance of the autumn afternoon sun, the view outside my car window prophesized of a bleak winter, not so very far off.

Reluctantly, I dropped the window to toss out my last cigarette, smoked down to the filter. I left the window down and let the chilling air in. I cranked the radio volume up and let the melodic tunes fill the interior of my car. I focused on the road ahead, ignoring the dismal scenery and desparately trying not to think of her. Inevitably though, I was there again, rolling around with her in smoke-scented sheets, fighting to hold onto her perfect body, covered with a mantle of sweet sweat. Once it started the images crashed into on another with crystal clarity and there was no escape. Her hooded, charcoal eyes, her thin, pink lips, milky shoulders, the curves of her body catching the light and shimmering in the heat, so tragically poetic.

My groan must have been audible, even above the blaring radio. I needed another smoke. I needed another drink...anything to keep me driving. I needed to go back home and shower the sin off.