Venus Flytrap

 Venus Flytrap 

By Vaishnavi Pernenkil

“Let's go.” she whispered, the tips of her lips slowly grazing his ears.

Without a word his hands clasped around hers, and off they went. Past the busy honks of the cars, past the hollering vendors and the smokers loitering the streets. The dust parted with each synchronized step, and the eyes of every pedestrian followed in pursuit. 

His gaze cut across the busy rumble of the street. A slight tilt of her chin would have met his gaze, but she was content residing below it. Her head rested below, and his arms tightened around her slender frame. As she traced the hollows of his collarbone she felt the loop of his breath quicken beneath her fingers.

Snippets of conversations rushed by them, comments lost in the wind. Irreverent words of past generations. Without any hesitation they continued, eyes occasionally meeting.

Finally they reached the house, her keys violently jangled as she struggled to open the door one handed. A swift push of her shoulder finally opened the door, creaking in indignation, they entered together.

The door abruptly swung shut behind them, Thud. 

THUD.

Thud, his heart dropped. He blinked twice. His vision cleared. She was still standing there. Her slender frame held onto the bar of the train tram. The wisps of her hair slowly billowing with the soft rumble of the train. He thought about giving up his seat for her, but then he would have to give up his view. 

He saw her thin arms struggle to hold onto the bar, each muscle tensing as the train hit sudden bumps and turns. He saw her readjust her bag, and swiftly check her black wristwatch, each movement gracefully executed. He saw her eyes dart back and forth in the compartment searching for an empty seat, yet he sat there watching her, caught in a trance. 

The train finally stopped, her fingers clasped tighter around the metal bar, knuckles turning a stark white. Her dark hair shifted with the momentum of the train, and returned just as swiftly. She stepped off in a hurry and disappeared into the void of thousands of other passengers. 

He sat alone, hands clasped in his lap.