Goodnight, Irene

46

IFELT MYSELF ripped away from behind the door and hurtled hard into a wall. I lay there, flat on my back, stunned and unsure of what had happened. The air was hot. I felt my face covered with something sticky, something salty that was in my mouth. My ears felt as if they were filled with water. Next I became aware that there was smoke filling the room. I closed my eyes. It dawned on me that there was no sound.

Someone was lifting me. I opened my eyes and saw Frank looking down at me. He was trying to say something to me, but he wasn’t making any noise. I smiled at him and closed my eyes.

WHEN I OPENED THEM again, I was looking up at a smoky sky. I was coughing. Frank’s face came into my field of vision again. I realized he was bending over me. We were on some grass. He held me. I felt sleepy.

I looked up into his face. What was wrong with his eyes? They were watery. He was trying to say something. I think it was my name. He wasn’t making any sound. I moved my hand to his lips. I closed my eyes again.