Short Story Wonderland

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sip by sip

coffee in hand

his shaking hands

never taking the break they needed

grasping for the thing that would ease his suffering

smiling at the beautiful waitress 

with his yellow teeth

and patched arms

her polite smile in return

shaking him from her

the memories from that day come flooding back

like a hurricane to a small coastal town

of his arms pinning her down

his wet mouth on her skin

the unwanted attention

from the man that wasn't even hers

she nods

her uncomfortable stance

oblivious to the man

behind her back

another lies in wait

at one of the many tables

waiting for her busy shift to end, like a predator to his prey

and she was that exactly: a prey to his predator being

her bruised shoulders and face

expertly covered by makeup

as if she'd been doing this for years

the patched man's eyes linger

filling with the same hunger she was used to

her doe eyes widen in fear

she runs

out the door into the crowds into the streets into the traffic

cars whizzing by

all too late

she hears the familiar honk of a car

and turns her head

all her dreams and aspirations

all to end in the blink of an eye