The streetlights spattered along the sidewalk

illuminating the darkness in pools of safety.

She moved slowly, knowing that danger lurked

in the dark recesses.

Her crib was behind a dumpster and she hurried

longing for the warmth of a shelter, yet afraid.

She knew that safety was an illusion, even there

and she tucked her legs in.

Once, she had been a young girl in search of freedom

now, she was an old woman of sixteen; battered and scared

people were not always nice.  Sometimes, they were cruel

and she was afraid.

The shelter people, talked of God, of safety; they didn’t know

God stayed away from the streets after dark.  She knew

only that evil, tactile and real, lived here.

Tears welled and fell.

Oh, how she wanted to go home; to return to her bedroom

her stuffed animals and friends.  Even high school

would be a welcome escape from the hands and other things

that reached for her.

She lifted the glass tube, crying; soon she would venture out

searching for another rock; another taste of escape.

G would have what she wanted, and would let her pay

without money.