she kept dreaming of little towns and how she would love to simply escape to one, rent out a motel room and buy little berries and milk and coffee and teas and know everyone in the town.

she would have a leather bound book where she would write it all down and it would be stained with tea and flowers she had found.

she would buy countless disposables and use them all up in those towns

It was public, the demonstration,
as they always were.

And everyone had gathered around.

The man cloaked in black shoved the woman
with her hands tied behind her back
and her hair pulled up out of the way.

As she knelt to her knees
and lowered her head
she slowly closed her eyes

and the audience grew so quiet,
you could hear her last breath leave her body

before the blade came hurdling down
seeking purchase at her neck.