After the Snowstorm
After the Snowstorm Cora brushed the sleep-straggled hair from her daughter’s forehead and secured Katniss’ car-seat. Tonight was their escape. For two months she hid their go-bag under the emergency kit. She thought Frank really meant it when he said he would sober up. She checked her rear-view mirror, Katniss slept, a residual hick from fearful crying shuddered her tiny rib cage. Cora’s left eye socket was swelling purple and blue; she had shielded Katniss from her daddy. When Frank turned his drunken-wrath towards Katniss, Cora knew it was time to flee. He had not yet harmed Katniss -- his size and bellow were frightening enough. Cora took the hit. But it was only a question of time before Katniss drew his physical wrath, or became a cowering husk of a human -- like Cora had been. If they didn’t run now, if Cora didn’t stand tall, one of them was going to get felled by his inebriated axe. The blizzard was lifting. Earlier, when Frank left for his plow-truck shift, Cora noti