Fourth Thursday

I hadn't seen her in years,

but I remembered her teeth,

straight, white, with sharp

incisors that left bite marks

on my shoulder,

when we were children,

we were always either

hunters or wolves.

She always won.

Always,

knew to either fire first

or be chased.

than a rifle.

I saw her in shnucks,

ironically,

she smiled in my direction

intentionally,

tempting,

she always knew to never chase,

always knew to keep her hands

where I could see them

I'm not saying I didn't trust her,

but I didn't trust her,

like

most women,

like

most hunters,

she knew to never chase

and always tempt

"I remember when you used

to chase me,

it was cute"

"Was it?"

"Like a baby chasing bubbles,

or tag,

you were never very good at tag,

though"

and we both laugh,

eyes locked on each other,

"Well, I remember when you

weren't able to see me.

I was a good hunter,"

"You were just good at hiding."

"That's what a good hunter does,

that's why you always made me

play the wolf.

You never learned how to lose."

"What happened to us."

and I should have told her:

You never learned how to lose,

that rifles and bite marks

are not mutually exclusive

and that, maybe,

I was too good at giving

and never knew how to take

very well.

I was comfortable

being a wolf,

because sometimes,

it's nice not to see it coming

and she says

"I remember when you

used to love."

"When was that?"

"Between the tempting

and the shot,

when I could see you

in my scopes,

you were always loving

harder than the bullet."

"And how did you love?"

"Huh?"

"How did you love?"

"I don't know"

"You were always good

at knowing when to fire,

knowing to tell when the wolf

is completely in love

and striking

either between the eyes

or in the chest cavity,

you made sure

that you didn't leave

the target alive."

"What are you trying to say?"

"That, maybe,

you were a better huntress,

and I was too good at loving.

I'm not able to dodge bullets

but I can tell

when I'm being tempted,

and you are a little to good

at hiding, sometimes."

"You were good at hiding, too,"

"Maybe.

Maybe I exist somewhere between

wolf and hunter

between giver and taker

but I've always been a better giver,

and maybe

you were better at receiving,

and maybe I should have bitten you

when I had the chance,

to make sure that you

were never able to take from me again."

And she nods

and I know

that we will probably

never speak to each other again

and that she will tell her friends

that she killed another wolf

and I might

have to agree with her.

willing to fire first.