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DRUNK MONKEYS IS A Literary Magazine and Film Blog founded in 2011 featuring short stories, flash fiction, poetry, film articles, movie reviews, and more

Editor-in-chief KOLLEEN CARNEY-HOEPFNEr

managing editor

chris pruitt

founding editor matthew guerrero

Play by Stephanie Palmer

Pounding. Pounding. Pounding.

A shrill squeak, Quick go!

Body springs forward

Don’t think now,

do.

Pounding faster, pounding, pounding

Act on the survival instinct-

Do do do,

Run.

Footsteps fall to the ground, harder harder, heavy

It’s silly to chase-

Mind ignores the fact-

Play chase,

Play.

PoundingPoundingPounding

Fast! Run to it! Legs resist

But mind insists.

They all chase-

Hurry! Turn, again!

Run with it

Run away

You have it now

They follow

They chase

They swallow

Hard.

Silence

It’s clear now

Your body controls your head,

It knows what to do.

You’re ahead!

They can’t catch you.

Can they?

Could they?

Fight the fatigue that fills your legs

Fight the pain that gnaws your ankle

Fight for air

Fight for life

Fight for the game.

The game of…

Close. Thud. Too close. Thudthud.

Body movements sharp-quick-sharp-quick again again.

Don’t stop! Move f o r w a r d- move, it’s too close!

The white net

Sharp eyes of the guardian on you. Just you.

The world moves slow.

One last jerk!

And it’s off.

You don’t chase.

-You watch.

Waiting

And the

Pounding. Pounding. Pounding.

Continues.

Swoosh.

Yes?

Pounding, pounding. Pounding away.

They couldn’t catch me.

What about

You.


Stephanie Palmer is a creative writing student at Southeast Missouri State University. As a busy full time student and member of the women’s soccer team, she enjoys writing poetry in her spare time.

© 2012 Stephanie Palmer

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