Who Sits Behind You?

She had seen enough movies to know she could
easily strangle the man in front of her.

She looked down at her shoe laces and looked
up at the back of the man's neck.
Her laces were old. Possibly dry rotted, they
could break with any real force applied.

She touched her belt. It was a bit wide she wasn't
sure if it would work. She imagined it would take
longer.

There was a CVS bag next to her. Maybe she
could snuff him out with that. Yeah right. Those
bags are cheap. She wondered why no one ever
ripped the bag with their hands, away from the
nose and mouth when it's placed over the head,
perhaps it was the pressure on the neck.

Her mind was dancing between every murder
flick she'd ever seen and not one of those options
would be right for this situation.

The man had no clue she was plotting his death.

He watched out the bus window waiting for his
stop. He thought about beer and food and his
dog.

She thought about death and dying.

They were alone except for the bus driver.

She fumbled in her purse looking for something
anything she could use on him. She came up
empty.

His neck had beads of sweat, she wanted blood
 
He fumbled in his brief case for his house keys.
He was almost home.

His stop came up and he stood up, so did she.

The bus driver opened the door and told them
both to have a blessed night.
The man smiled. She snickered.

They both got off the bus, the man buttoned up
his jacket and she unzipped hers. He headed
down the street and she followed, not close
but close enough.

As she walked she saw a rock, a big rock and
picked it up. She tossed like a ball from hand to
hand.

The man felt uneasy. Like someone was following
him so he picked up his pace.
She laged behind, trying not to give herself away.

She wanted him, down on the street bleeding
she wanted to watch his soul ascend. Wanting
to see life leave this plain.  She felt excited.

The man was tired, he just wanted to be home.

A few blocks later he was almost at his doorstep
he could hear his dog barking, he smiled,
Old Reggie knew his dad was close.

She watched from a few houses down.

He stepped on his porch and unlocked his door.

She got closer.

He opened his door and Old Reggie came out,
wiggling and crying, he missed the man.

She watched as the man and dog said their hellos
and went inside.

She put the rock down.  She couldn't do it.
She loved animals and that dog loved that man.

She watched them through the window for a bit
and left.

Old Reggie saved his life. Unbeknownst to him.

You never know whose sitting behind you or
next to you. Always be weary.
Always.