a distorted mangelment

mangled limbs; arms, legs, and fingers, hang from the dashboard. they sit, next to the dangling pine tree air freshener, just above the air conditioner, like party decorations. the rearview mirror, splattered with red, is pointed aggressively towards the floor. in it, a single eye looks back through the mirror, stuck in the moment, frozen in its position, as its gaze is kept solely on the yellow and orange fireflies falling from the ceiling of the car. her face, mutated from the fire that was set to it, shows few teeth remaining, as the others poke out of the steering wheel.

a horrible screech burns into her severed ear sitting on the floor. she can almost hear the sound as she looks at the severed body part sitting on the freshly detailed carpeting. she wishes she could reach for it, but is reminded by her arms practically tapping her on the forehead from the dash.

her body is like that of a marionette; twisted, contorted, and limp. she has no puppeteer as she uncomfortably(if she could feel anything) lays twisted in the seat.

it is here that she realizes the horrible job the cleaning crew did on the upholstery for the ceiling. her gaze turns down, as the shriek gets louder, and the fireflies continue to fall, as her long beautiful legs are splayed out before her. her sex exposed from her hiked up short dress, she is practically naked, without even at attempt to be able to cover herself. her look travels further down to her thighs, intertwined, as steel cuts through them, fusing metal and flesh together, in a morbid union.

and yet, with all of this, she couldn’t help but think of him. she tortured herself trying to pinpoint what he’d think of her if they did in fact run into one another… as if that were a possibility at this very moment. It was difficult to imagine being desirable in this way. There was nothing to give except herself, paired with a shrug and a smile as if to say, what you see is what you get. and she worried he wouldn’t take it. that he wouldn’t take her.

the shriek suddenly stops. the fireflies dissipate like sparks from a saw as he comes into the car.

the red splatters across the interior are like that of a jackson pollack painting. the pain on her face is written in a bloody smile, as he gathers her body together. he touches her for that first moment, goosebumps extend like a welcoming hand, encouraging her for just that moment.

she is a mess.

she knows it.

her fear of his rejection, enveloping her once again, as he looks into her remaining eye.

he bends down, moving slowly into the nap of her neck, fitting perfectly into that tiny nook space, and pauses for what seems like an eternity…

“I have a needle and some thread… you’ll be fixed up in no time”

she smiles, knowing there is nothing she could do that would scare him, or cause him to reject her. She, minus her arms, legs, fingers, and teeth, was still seen as perfect in his eyes… and would always be.

…what you see is what you get.

and she knew, that from his vantage point, what he was looking at, was all he could ever have wanted.

…amputated body parts and all.