Boyfriend

She grabs the leash off the coat hanger in the front hall.
They’re out the door.
The path is new, it winds and bends like the yellow brick road, he pulls, he leads.
She doesn’t know where she’s going.

“Bark, Bark.”
He runs her further down the path.
Too fast.
She pulls a pure bottle of water out of her pocket, He tugs.
The leash imprints its pattern onto her skin.
Stop.
She struggles to free her hand.
As she breaks lose, he wimpers.
We’re done.

At home she crawls into bed and pulls up the covers.
She hears him scratching at the door.
He always finds his way back.
“Whine, Whine” at the door –
She turns off the lamp.