Online Lover

City sounds screamed and swirled,
Sirens raced through neon world,
Shutters shook, while ghost trucks sped
Lewd vacant sign flashed deep red.

Her laptop buzzed and flickered,
While angry parents bickered.
She stared at the screen entranced,
Red electric shadows danced.

Angry voices drifted near,
Pa sailed in on wave of fear,
“Switch that off!” Screams, floating head.
And get some real friends instead.

Footsteps fiercely stomp away.
Girl opens laptop to play,
Hidden under counterpane,
Waiting for the storm to wane.

Port of safety, sight unseen,
Message moves across the screen.
Online lover wants to meet,
Wild racing heart skips a beat.

Laptop lies on tousled bed,
Swamped in linen, glowing red.
Bedding smoulders in the gloom,
Smoky waves surge from the room…..

In strip club across two states.
Josh, fifteen, but thirty waits.
Balding hair and sweating hand,
Waiting for his catch to land…

At the coach station she waits,
Tiny girl by boarding gates,
In rucksack sharpened cleaver,
Lover Josh will never leave her…