right hand pointing

In the middle

of the night,

Violet wakes

with her open hand,

palm down, splayed

across Jake’s chest.

She dares not

 

move her hand

as Jake might wake,

jerk up, and grope

for a ghost weapon.

His nightmares

usually begin

with a body tremor,

 

followed by muffled

gasps.  She feels

the savage beating

of his heart

ticking in his body

like an IED

of solid muscle.