Steps

Steps

She steps down from the bus, the city dark and cold,

Soft rain falling, wets the ground, the silence taking hold.

She pulls her scarf around her neck, umbrella overhead,

and walks off down the alley, looking forwards to her bed.

Behind her, footsteps follow, or is it just a trick,

Echoes from the walls, rebounding from the bricks.

Her feet move faster, stepping out, but still she hears the sound,

The footsteps keeping up with her, her heart begins to pound!

She splashes through the puddles, dares not to look behind,

Her heels are clicking faster now, the fear fills her mind,

She hears the footsteps following still, matching step for step,

Running now, uncomfortable, tries to catch her breath.

The footsteps getting closer now, she’s almost at her door,

Up the steps she pants, Umbrella hits the floor.

Hand in pocket, grabs her keys, lifts them to the latch,

Stumbling fingers, numb with fear, for him they are no match.

She turns to face him, hands outstretched and suddenly, she smiles.

For there before her, panting hard, a woman all the while!

“Why were you behind me? What is it that you want?”

The woman tries to catch her breath, her hand held out in front.

“My ‘phone!” she cries, “I lost it? Why didn’t you just shout?”

The woman raised her other hand and pressed it to her mouth.

Then moves to touch her ear and shrugs and takes a breath

“I see!” she said, “Apologies, you’re dumb and you are deaf!”

Opens the door and steps aside, “Come in, get dry and warm,

I’m sorry that you scared me, I hope that no harm’s done?”

The woman smiled and shook her head and pointed down the street,

“I see,” she said, “You have to go, well, thanks, I’m glad that we did meet.

Words and photograph copyright 2015, the author. No unauthorised reproduction by any means is permitted