Subway Strangers

She had never known freedom.
Had never broken free from her strings
Had never felt the sensation of a life lived
Had never seen what she could do
Until one September night
He opened her eyes.

It wasn’t rushed;

It was eye contact.
It was the corner of his lips that slowly slid up.
It was the way that one small movement
Took her attention by the hand
And escaped the confines of the crowded subway car.
All from his regular Sunday spot:
Second last seat on the left.

His gaze was steady
Soaking in her every sigh.
She knew he had her figured out
Down to the adrenaline shooting through her veins.
He was in her head.
On her mind.
While silently standing in her front right corner,
She was losing control.
And he was cutting the strings--
One by one.

Never a word spoken between them
For the past two months
Since she had tied herself down in the city.
Yet he knew her every thought
And she knew his every breath.

Games of glance tag
Led to studies of habit
Led to intrigue and weak knees
Barely able to stand it.
Electricity charging the air
The people weren't staring
But they wouldn't care.
It was personal.
It was perfect.
It was her stop.

Snip

The jolt had jarred her back to reality.
And she shook him out of her head
Long enough to cross the threshold
Onto the fading yellow line
Under the dim florescent bulbs.
A backwards glance
Giving her one more heartbeat than she needed.

Her heart was still racing as she unlocked her door.
The night was young
But her lids were heavy
As she closed her eyes to remember his gaze.
She laid herself down to calm her thoughts.
She counted each thump in her chest
Until a different thump opened her eyes.

She knew she was walking to the door
And saw her hand turn the knob
But she was only paying attention
To the excitement building in her bones.

His eyes
Were the blue
Of the heart
Of the hottest
Of fires.

And he was smiling.

“Hi”

It took her
Several moments
To process this
Common greeting
From such
An uncommon
individual.

“Hey”

“Let’s go”

Her hand was in his,
And they went.
Wordless, they ran through the night
Shadowed paths
Hiding them from each passing second.

Down the street—
Up the alley—
Turn the corner—
Over the fence—
Under the stars—
Be together.

He stole her away from the city that night.
Into the towering trees—
Through the thick—
Running—Running—
Pushing aside crimson, gold branches—
Revealing a passage
Where a lake lay hidden in the heart of the forest.

A small lamp gleamed by the boathouse
Inviting them in its peaceful glow
Nestled in the trees.
They slowed their pace
Slowed their hearts
And stopped time.

The water was silver that night—
A glass textured with drifting autumn
The sight,
Indescribable.

She fell back to the damp wood under the lamp

“I—I can’t even find words—“

He never let go as they stood toe to toe

“When have we ever needed words before?”

His lips turned up as he lightly shook his head.
Then,
Those blue eyes bore into hers
And ignited.

Thunder boomed and the rain came down
But it wasn’t the weather that caught her breath.
Entranced, she saw the passion in his soul
The raw excitement—
The moment.

The energy shook inside them
Until the laughter broke from their hearts
And they dashed down the dock
Their spirits on fire.

The ripples danced around them
The forest sang of harmony
The water, warm
They entwined their hands once more
Soaked in sweet bliss
And everything was right.

~

There were no words
As the sunrise pushed the second hand forward.

A small smile played on her lips
As the rays scattered in the blue.

Her silent gaze thanked him
For cutting her free
That one September night.