Fingers linked, I lead her through the underpass that takes us to Sainsbury’s. She’s got her mouth buried in the collar of her jacket, and every time she says something, I can’t make out the words, so I turn and ask her to repeat herself. She doesn’t though. I’d say she’s doing it on purpose, and when I shake my head, she giggles and squints her eyes at me. It’s not that late, but there’s no one else around. There are sounds calling to us from afar, but we’re happy for them to remain mysteries. Swinging my arm back and forth, she complains that I’m walking to slow. I can’t make out the words exactly, but as she mumbles and frowns at me while jerking my arm forwards, I take that to be her message. Picking up the pace, we exit the underpass and approach a wall of trees with Sainsbury’s waiting for us on the other side. Reaching out her free hand, she touches the leaves and smiles, first to herself, and then to me. She says something again, and as I let out a frustrated sigh, she laughs before standing on tiptoes and kissing me on the cheek. Coming to a clearing in the trees, the parking lot beyond is populated by a dozen or so vehicles but still no signs of life. Sainsbury’s itself emanates a warm, golden glow, and we find ourselves moving our legs as quickly as possible. The closer we get, the warmer our bones, and the stronger the scents that dance beneath our noses. I’m feeling good, and X is pretty much skipping. Dragging me along, she mumbles then snorts before I have a chance to reply. In the second or so before we enter, she turns and rests her eyes on mine. The music within them is enough to make me stumble. It somehow seems to lift me higher, and when she sticks out her chin from the collar of her coat, the look on her face mirrors how I feel inside.

A Journal for Damned Lovers UK

A Journal for Damned Lovers US

Anthology UK / Anthology US