Chris Brunk

2:10 AM

Two.                 Three.
    Two.     And a half.
       Three.

Steps and slabs of sidewalk remain syncopated. Typical. Maintaining
the appearance of a normal gait is the goal. Also
typical. Not that anyone’s around to question
my dance. Since I’m walking a ghost
town, why don’t I plot a sub-optimal course
back to my car? Which way will take
the most time? Or I can just stop.                Oh.
No. That would take forever. And it’s
chilly. And the tip of my nose feels
red. The air is sharp but still. There
are no clouds.                                          Oh.   Stars actually
do twinkle. I guess Orion does
kind of look like a guy. Hunter is
a stretch. Someone’s in the distance.             Oh.         When
did I stop? I should
get to my car. It’s remarkable
how many cracks you step on
when you stop counting.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Chris Brunk graduated from Salisbury University with a degree in Communications. He works as a reporter at a local Salisbury news station. His work is published in The Oakland Arts Review. He is an aspiring birdwatcher and nautical enthusiast.