Safety

Termites gnawing at her flesh
worms sucking the marrow of her skull
maggots chewing at her brain
She tried to scream
wasps in her mouth
snakes writhing around her limbs
standing in mud to her knees
Oysters and mussels stabbed at her feet
surrounded by mangroves
reaching out with
all encompassing roots and branches
The water flooding the swamp
High tide bursting the river banks
no scream as mud filled her mouth
The swamp was alive
Crabs crawled between her toes
Flood waters lapped up her body
The water, a murky, tepid brown.
Mud filled her eyes
engulfed by the muddy darkness
Gasping for breath
no scream
Swallowed by the mud she
returned to safety
whence she once had come