She sits in the chair,

picks at her nails- 

oops! 

Now she's bleeding, 

suck on it, 

clean up the blood-

twists her hands together 

around themselves. 

Her leg bounces, 

as if it has a mind of its own. 

She bites her lip, 

chews until it, too, bleeds.

Something in or around her foot pops, 

probably her ankle, 

she never could get the darn thing to pop 

then it does so randomly- 

when it wants to,

Like everything else, 

so it seems.

Walking home, 

a leaf crackles- 

oh, 

just her, 

what an idiot, 

twig cracks,

looks behind herself,

me again, 

idiot, 

nobody's going to get you,

it's safer than safe here.

Twists her hands together,

opens the door,

home at last, 

Mother at work,

Father at the table,

to her room,

picks her nails,

chews on her lip...

"Missy!"

no,

nowhere's safer than safe,

especially not here.