An Unsettling Image
Aleah Hayes

"Are you ready?"                 "Yes." 

​I focused on her eyes.
Her green irises turned as brown as mine.
I didn’t know exactly where I wanted to take us.
Not too far behind,
not too far forward, 
we wandered. 
I dragged us along my latticed memories:
A splash of grape juice on a white dress,
A party, green and purple light on my skin,
A clementine-dusted hand.

I finally found a place for us to settle, 
When a flash of its claws broke through.
Again.
Dripping with metallic--
I jerked myself away,
the green in her eyes returning.
​