He cleaned
and jerked
the empty metal trash can
over his head
took two fast steps
in a lunge
hell’s fire coals in his
eyes and face
and paused
stopped
his target frozen
on the hotel bed...
time skipped a beat
as death
entered
and left empty handed...
The rest
of the foggy crowd
exhaled
smoke
and burned oxygen
conversations
slowly started back
in a drone...
No blood.
He was a vet
caught on the tight wire.
No net.