New Flat


She’s running ever-so-slightly late for work (because she gets up early to put in a few hours of work on her poetry and today she’d been on a roll)…


And just as she steps outside the building where her new flat is


(her newly-bought, newly-painted, newly-furnished flat)… and as it is colder than the forecast had predicted and she is buttoning up her coat…


a dirty-faced (and quite obviously-crazed) half-naked child


comes out from behind a parked car.


And he (it’s a he she registers) swings an arm toward her…and…“Oh, god, he’s stabbed me!”


It’s a fairly superficial wound but he’s pulling back that knifed-fist to give her another whack: and give it good this time


And then…the two of them are struggling there for what seems…well… a long time. She’s only trying to control the kid at first, banking on the fact that someone else here in Yuppie-ville will notice and come to her aid.


Meanwhile though, blood has sprouted on her white blouse and the feral child giggles, idiotically, at the sight of it.


Bending his wrist back – she manages to disarm him – as he kicks her shins. (A wild idea comes to her to stab him one back) – (but) – (instead) – she just bear-hugs him – holding him – tight.


Tightly. 24


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