My sister and I split the last of the anti-anxiety gummies on the way to the airport They taste like cheap lip gloss And the familiar bittersweetness of endings
38 minutes to Midway
The further we drive the more I feel like a rubber band One end fixated at my grandma’s little house The more distance covered only means the harder I’ll snap back on return The force of impact will break my bones
15 minutes to Midway
We said we’d get lunch at the airport We both know we won’t be hungry maybe we’ll pay $15 for a pack of crackers My shoulder is still stiff from sharing the guest bed I imagine my whole arm snapping off when lifting my suitcase
7 minutes to Midway
I hand my sister one of my AirPods As she takes it I feel The isolation that steps on my heart like a brake pedal Ease up Creep back
Molly Smith is currently a student at Cumberland University, working towards her BA in English and Creative and Imaginative Writing. Born in Northern Illinois, she moved to middle Tennessee in high school and enjoys being a barista, watching movies, and roller skating.