the ghost light flickered –
i watched as the moths killed themselves over it
‘have you heard there was a coup?’ i asked
‘don’t speak so loud!’ she said

the security checkpoints had been chaos
they would shine the flashlight inside the car
see my skin
tell us to pull over

‘they just need bread’ she told me

i looked down at my whiskey
& saw a mosquito struggling on the surface
‘there’s a mosquito in my drink’
‘don’t worry, you’re strong’ she laughed

i had already drunk too much
but when you have a habit every glass becomes your last
i scratched my bitten legs and zoned out
my white socks now brown from the dust

some guy next to me with a militant face
was smoking cigarettes and coughing at the same time
the coup had made everyone quiet

‘its getting late’ she said
initiating the deal

‘how much?’ i asked
1500
too much.
1000
950
deal.

i woke up on her mattress
but cannot recall how i got there
she pulled me on top for round 2
head swimming, i finished fast
& left

never saw her again

© tobiaskinti