I. Sherry
Breakthrough rays ignite a furnace of light down a long night’s stop-and-go road where Sherry’s public transit odyssey leaves off with a screech-ridden stop. Just beyond the golden archway sounds the soft steps of the woman’s worn rubber soles, ending where another day begins. Her shift starts with a swift punch of the rusted metal clock and her empty stomach fills with a deep breakfast breath before her first words Welcome to Burger King. Her job isn’t much more than a candle she hopes to transform to a torch, lighting her path out of the broken-down car she sleeps in with her toddling joy, a little boy named Noah. Besides she knows her day’s soggy take homes will fill his tumbling tummy at least one more day.
II. Noah
A bumbling bee zooms from the second he awakes, taking off in a frenzy towards a new day’s discoveries. Into the school van he’s buckled in tight to keep him from flying off into the still-black night sky. Riding along his route he drifts past the pre-K place a way ‘til he’s passed the dreamland state no one knows Where is Noah? They ask too little, too late. His buzzing is long gone now heard only in his mom’s dreams wishing at least to share the treat of her soggy take homes at least one more day.
©2021 Katherine Shehadeh
All rights reserved
