the girl gauzy dress tattered and torn running breathless through brambles reaches a river pursued panting she must cross it take a step into freezing water numbing bones shaking shivering pale skin and blue lips trip and fall hands go forward trying to catch whatever is left of yourself but pieces crumble and scatter on the mossy rocks sharper than they look dogs barking men yelling filthy hunting they will be here soon so get up because there is no more time to lie here and wish you were home the girl who was maybe once loved is now drowning face down in frigid murky water the only company in death is those who persecute her as her pale body begins to rot even god starts to forget about her first her hands then her face then her hair until there is nothing left so that when the dogs frothing lips raised fur and the men shouting voices savage thoughts arrive the girl is gone nothing left of her but a whisper of wind the scent of sandalwood and strawberries and **** and summer days long forgotten but now remembered by those who never knew them maybe god didnt forget her maybe he saved her