Paper

And just like that, the world stopped turning

I pushed my hand into the stillness

feeling it against my fingers

before feeling a sting near my hairline

 

the sheet of paper see-sawed through the air

and landed, gracefully, calmly, on the ground

I noticed a thin streak of red on one side

and there was noise above me, loud, but quiet

 

I looked up and saw a sky of paper

I put my forearms above me and felt salty stings

in seconds they were a bloody pulp

I felt paper slice down the back of my ears

 

my neck was being peeled

I fell to my knees and then to all fours

there was liquid fire on my back and then

I was a human apostrophe on a bed of white and red

 

I woke in darkness

the weight of the paper pressing me against the earth

there were faraway voices calling my name but

I was not yet ready to emerge