Photo Story: The Red Shoes

Photo on a subway full of businesspeople in Japan.None of the passengers notice his glare. The lock in his gait, the crush of shoulders, hemming you in. You pull out your phone, carefully hiding the mace in your purse. Insurance, your mother said. You’re texting her now to pick up your kids.

The train lurches to a stop between stations. The air conditioning fizzles. You feel the tickle of sweat beneath your bangs and resist the urge to wipe your brow.

You imagine fists forming in his pockets. Your toes grip the insoles of your new red shoes. He found you. You wish you could click your heels.

Karen Crawford lives and writes in the City of Angels. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Cheap Pop, Anti-Heroin Chic, A Thin Slice of Anxiety, Unfortunately Literary Magazine, among others. You can find her on Twitter @KarenCrawford.

Photo Credit: tokyoform

6 Responses to “Photo Story: The Red Shoes”

  1. K F Lerner says:

    At first, I assumed she was just being overly vigilant – then it took quite a turn. I could feel the dread and the menace. Effective.

  2. Mark Crawford says:

    Ominous and haunting. Isolated and trapped. Leaves you wondering what happens next. Very cool!

  3. Howie Good says:

    Well done!!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *