It’s cold tonight

The wind whispers through the barren trees

I can feel the gravel crunch beneath my feet, can smell the lingering smoke smell in the air

The walk was long and my feet felt wrong, sore, twisted

Anything was better than there

Anything was safer

The red flimsy old rain coat wouldn’t shield me from the cold

I tilt my head up, searching for a source of light in the distance

I saw a building, square in shape and large with windows in an orderly fashion

Safety