Inkwell Spotlight: ‘Running Pace’

Run. Run. Run. I see no one else. I feel just the wind on my face.
The world is gone, just one breath and one more and one more.
My feet slam the road, they pound in time to the beat of my heart. In, then out.
Breathe in, breathe out. Left foot, then right foot, more, more speed, more sweat. Less thought.  

Less of mom and her cold stare. Less of dad and death. Less of the fire. Less of the knock at the door at ten past four. Less tears. Just run.
While I move, none of it can catch me.
To stand still, to stop, to even think of what it would be to break the pace, is to let them win.

The man from down the street runs past.
He and his dog keep their own pace.
Do they run to get away too, or just for the sake of the beat?

The sun is all up now, the road is bright where once it was dark.
I turn back, still in the same speed.
One thought got through, he won’t be there when I get home.

And I ran. More speed, more breath, less tears.