Out Past Dark (Night of the Soul)

I'm all a muddy mess.

Got lost.

My courage got a beatin' too.

No map.

And wet.

Feet squishin' in my shoes.

Not angry.

Not punchin'.

Not aimin' to wrassle nobody.

Though feels like punchin' somethin' or maybe screamin' might feel better than all this creepy quiet out here.

I ain't skeered though.

Skinned my knee is all, dang it.

Barely just made it outta the river.

Too dark, I guess.

Darker than I thought.

Shoulda went right Home.

But I wanted to ride the last stitch of sun out.

Sun ran from me though, beat me to the finish.

Didn't see no rock or river.

Flew right over the handlebars.

Neck deep in the water I landed.

Cold as a popsicle and had to swim hard to get out.

Now I'm too tired to push my bike Home.

Not sure where Home even is now.

Not really.

Got turnt 'round.

I could just sleep out here, but--

Dang it, my knee's bleedin'.

Need a Band-Aid and--

What's that noise?

Dang it.

I ain't skeered, it's just--

A hug from Mama, though... that'd be nice.

Pretty cold out here, 'n soaked through too, 'n way past dark is all I'm sayin'.

Mama's got better courage than me.

I mean, I think so.

I'm hopin'.

Not sure I can make it Home on my own.

Hope she sees I'm gone.

Hope she comes lookin'.

Hope she ain't too mad that I almost got myself drowned and stayed out past dark.

Hope she still wants me Home even though I went and made such a mess 'a things.