Waning Crescent
He leaned against the wall, long legs crossed at the ankles. A cigarette dangled from his hand, smoke leaking from his lips in a slow, swirling haze. His hair, obsidian-black, rose in well-oiled spikes from the crown of his head. The sharp lapels of his jacket folded back across his chest, revealing a tantalizing ‘v’ of flesh.
She gazed at him from across the corridor. Tightness gripped her stomach. She tried to open her mouth, to say something to him. But her jaw was clenched. Wired shut. She breathed deeply through her nostrils; shoved her trembling, pale hands deep into her pockets.
He turned towards her. His blue irises seemed to run up and down her body, a smirk playing on his full, red lips.
She flinched and turned away, as though blinded by a sudden light. Blood rushed to her face, tiny pinpricks of heat stinging her cheeks.
He flicked his cigarette to the ground and pushed himself from the wall, striding up the corridor with long, purposeful steps.
Heart pounding, she straightened her shoulders, arched her back, pushed her small breasts forward. She lifted her face towards him, pale and smiling, lips bent into a frail crescent.
He swept by her without noticing.
She felt the coldness of his shadow as he passed over her, his footsteps echoing down the empty corridor.
Written By: Jennifer Peloso
About the Author: Jennifer is a writer and non-profit administrator from the San Francisco Bay Area. She obtained two degrees in English from UCLA and King’s College London, respectively. She runs a local writing group and spends her non-writing time developing her nerdier interests in LARPing, gaming, cooking, and historical research.
Visual Art “Surfer” By: Brian Lopez
About the Artist: Brian Lopez is a San Francisco based photographer, specializing in the documentation of bay area music, and local underground music communities and subcultures. More of his work can be found on his instagram @bayexploria.
Forum Literary Magazine 