clouds swell against the sky.
Leafless oaks thin the north wind and the roads
cut through the wooded patches where deer once
tread. At East Pine neighborhood, the din of life rusts
the air. A cacophony of bikes defiled by middle schoolers
sprawls across an unkempt lawn. Across the street, Dave,
a retired mechanic, swabs the carburetor of his drained
Pontiac. Rory, the mail truck driver, shepherds a package
to the quiet pensioner at 18762 Beacon Pond. On Mercury
Street, a father and daughter laze under a wilting
“LEMONADE” sign. Azured face masks frayed on the sides
blossom from their chin. At the Burke Center intersection,
Lloyd hisses for change in a tray spotted with syringes
as he ambles somewhere between exigency and hope.
Leafless oaks thin the north wind and the roads
cut through the wooded patches where deer once
tread. At East Pine neighborhood, the din of life rusts
the air. A cacophony of bikes defiled by middle schoolers
sprawls across an unkempt lawn. Across the street, Dave,
a retired mechanic, swabs the carburetor of his drained
Pontiac. Rory, the mail truck driver, shepherds a package
to the quiet pensioner at 18762 Beacon Pond. On Mercury
Street, a father and daughter laze under a wilting
“LEMONADE” sign. Azured face masks frayed on the sides
blossom from their chin. At the Burke Center intersection,
Lloyd hisses for change in a tray spotted with syringes
as he ambles somewhere between exigency and hope.
Eric Pak is a 16-year-old Korean-American living in Thailand. He has lived in diverse countries around the world and aims to share his experiences through his writing. His works have previously been published in K'in Literary Journal and The Cathartic Literary Magazine. In his free time, he likes running and eating enchiladas.