Returning home in crutches after years
abroad in “civil” war, I hobbled under closest cover
–a bush. There I lay.
Leaden water’s sound compounded my hearing
into pavement. Cars gunned through crowded air. They never saw
me. There I lay.
I heard them come, watched them go. In some provincial place,
a finger clenched, casing dropped, breath stifled. From bushes
I watched. There I lay.
Spray stung my eyes. I unwrapped
the bottle of Spanish brandy. There
I lay, watching that road, waiting
for it all to end.
Author: Rory Hawkins is a second year Creative Writing student who is very, very slowly garnering readership via an elaborate phishing scam you don’t need to know more about. If any of his marks read this, his entire business model is fucked. Find more of his prose and poetry work online with previous issues of ScratchThat, Glass magazine, read aloud with QUT Lit Salon, and through his Instagram @rory_writes_sometimes
Artist: SaBelle Pobjoy-Sherriff is a third year fine arts visual arts student. Her art practice uses narrative and mythology to create obscure illustrations and sculptures. Using acrylic paint and coloured pencils she creates vibrant worlds and creatures. Her current work focuses on the current climate crisis and the idea of corrupting escapism. You can find more on her instagram @SaBelleeee.
Editors: David Farr and Grace Harvey