Skip to main content

The early night of January 17

We were downtown, my grandmother and I, when I saw large flocks of birds from different species flying North. I turned from looking East to looking directly above me: a grey concrete disk combusted and turned into a huge fireball falling quickly in my direction. Once it came closer, the fireball disk started to disintegrate and huge chunks flew in all directions around me. That's when I yelled for my grandmother who was still standing East of me, about two concrete slates of sidewalk from me. I turned West and ran to an open black jeep (very similar to the ones in Jurrasic Park) and told my young brother, who was seated and buckled in the car,  to make sure our other two younger brothers had their seatbelts on. My grandmother, now my passenger, was also putting on her seatbelt.
The road was crowded with people trying to get to the expressway. "I'll just take the streets", I thought to myself. While everyone on the road drove North-East, I drove West. I was now on a road that had ivy-covered concrete walls and the road curved to the right and then, for a moment, I felt we were stuck. I got out of the car and when I closed the car door, I was parked on a grass hill. In front of me, I saw a home with a playground. That house was on a lower grass hill.I turned my head towards the home that was on the hill on which I was parked. It was a large family home. It looked like it had two floors and an attic. It also had a brick chimney.  We all walked in. The first floor was a small living room- a cloth couch behind a wood coffee table and tube TV. My grandmother tried to turn on the television while I looked around the kitchen counters, looking for something quick to eat. The air was thick in dust but the dust particles were only in the air. None of the furniture or kitchen wear had dust.  "We really need to get out of here before the owners come and see us here", I thought to myself. I hurried my grandmother right when she turned the television on with the remote control. I saw a white man in a black suit with a floating square image of something about the weather. The volume was not up. "Let's go", I said to her. Then, I woke up.

Popular posts from this blog

Carnales (after Terrance Hayes)

We’re like kids              running under shooting               red fire hydrants, us,      standing in transparent tanks & heavy shorts under our home’s gutter drain.  “My turn,”                I remember you say but I don’t move. Instead,                I close my eyes &                remember mom,      twirling in her long denim-blue dress              on our porch                             under the rain. Mom would take us                outside in the rain                to bathe together,    ...

Dream #414

I was on a bus on my way to a new school, a high school on the south side of Chicago. I transferred to that school because I had moved into the area. The bus went south over a dark brick road bridge--it was dark because it was a gloomy day out--like the sky was heavy with rain. This new school was completely new--metal framework with floor-to-ceiling windows, open floors. The class body was mixed, with a majority being black and white students. I went to the second floor to wait in line at a check-in window. A very chatty boy behind me bumped into me and as I turned to look at him, we both felt an immediate attraction--we are both brown, we are both alternative. I'm reminded of my husband, I remembered I have a husband--maybe in that life or another--so I keep the boy in mind to feel less alone but ignore him as I wait in line. I'm outside in the vast woods that is the campus of the high school. There is a pond and there are green rolling hills of different sizes, all moving l...

Me, You, and Evals

My name is Mary. 5'3, medium brown hair that frizzes in the warmth. I like my shirts button to the top. Sometimes, I add my own bow made of left over ribbon from old gowns. My skirts are long and full. Its gets a little difficult for me to walk around when I need to get somewhere quickly but I really enjoy the sweeping movement it makes when I walk. Its as though I'm gliding. "Hi Mary". Its James. "Hi", I say shyly. I hope he doesn't notice my skin melting. "What is it you are writing? I always see you with your notebook and pen at hand. I thought I could sneak up to you this time to figure it out". Oh, that smile. Its so mischievious as if he knew his presence makes my pits sweat and my arms jiggle. "Just notes," I say. "But I must be on my way!" I say ratherly loudly and before he can object I walk in to the mist of morning traffic on Fletcher Street. I don't dare look back for fear he may be staring at me. Plus,...