uncharacter

and the girl ducked out of the rain
to chew spiced fingernails
between rushes of blood.
her hood made a garden pond
behind her ears and maple rotors
crash-landed there.
her limbs got cotton numb
beneath wet legs and sleeves.
dry drink crossed her cheekbones.
it had been tossed there
by a pixie who lost her diadem
on the cloakroom floor and didn’t know
who to shout at about it.
now fingertips ice-skated over the keypad
through a syrup of bloat words
that came unstoppered as soon
as she warmed to the phone screen.
she knew that it wasn’t the time
but see-through read best that way;
in cool walks under cover of no umbrella
where every drop was headed for the drain.