Hair stands on end
Heart beats erratic
No time to react to it
Fear pungent
Muscles tensed

A response so ingrained it’s like breathing
The breathing that increases as
The distance between us decreases
And all my instincts scream ‘Run’

Fight or Flight
Never would win the first
And the second would only make it worse…
Because fleeing is fear transparent
Marking me prey, weakness on display,
Triggering your chase reflex.

Hair stands on end
Heart beats erratic
No time to react to it
Fear pungent
Muscles tensed
Intense suspense
At its owner’s expense

Jessie Gutierrez