In A Moment Like This

I feel his strong hand grip the collar of my shirt
Up he lifts me, onto my knees
The warmth of his skin on mine

His palm
Slams
Into the back of my neck
The wall and I become acquainted

The left side of my face hits
Shoulder
Then chest
Then hipbone
And back I'm
Yanked

Though in front of him
I can almost see him smiling
Face splitting into a wide grin
Watching me try to
Hold
My
Own

The wall again, more force this time
Arms bending, hands up

There's the
Sickening

Snap!

Of my long nails
Breaking

Funny what you hear
In a moment like this

When the wall is again reeling
Close
Closer...

Warmth again
A long-fingered hand encircling my throat
Pressure on the windpipe
No
Mercy

The window goes by in a flash, the room spinning
He's
Throwing
Me to the drop beyond

The rug abrades my elbows
I hit so
Hard
I'm afraid I'll crash through
Oh, what would the neighbors think?
Funny what you worry about
In a moment like this

He's on me now
Who could imagine such a slender man to exude so great a weight?
Pinning my arms to the floor

Roaring
With such fury

What is he saying?
Leaning in, spittle on my face, becoming hoarse
Or is that me
Screaming?

Dim moonlight reveals little
But the
Viciousness
In his eyes
It shines

So
Painfully
Bright