Calico Frost

It was what, four and a half weeks ago?

sometime after school ended

I wanted to stay for the whole time

I brought snacks for everyone

bagel chips and hummus

I'm running

I'm flying

my legs move

back and forth

forth and back

on

and on

and on

faster

faster

the air is avoiding me

I run from my chaser

endlessly

Underwater

it's nearly silent

incredibly quiet

all sharp sounds softened by the waves.

Underwater

all of the loud, nagging noises of life fades into a faint murmur

bearable for once.

Underwater

Ad astra

Latin for to the stars

something that we've never done yet

but we've gone near.

We've never gone to the stars

we've reached the not-quite-emptiness that surrounds them.

I don't know what this is

whether it's summer really sinking in

or if it's something else

something more

something worse.

I don't want to turn into this

a puddle of negative feelings and boredom.

Everyone always thinks that people act a certain way to please the people around them

to code switch to what everyone else would want

to blend in

and that's what I do, too

except most of what I do