she says i save her
life but I knew when
she sat beside me
on that dirty bed
she would be my saviour
i’ve watched her hurt
a thousand times
i was there when he
used her
when she was betrayed
by family
we made a run into the dark night
i’ve followed her
across country
more than once
and i would again
when i fall
asleep every night
i make sure i can
feel her breathe
make sure she doesn’t
give up
Kristina Heflin is a riding instructor, originally from Northern California. She has served on the editorial board of the literary journal Flumes. She has been published in the literary journals Flumes, Canyon Voices, Fearsome Critters, and Broad River Review, the websites 2Elizabeths, the write launch, Underwood, Shelia-Na-Gig and Passaic/Voluspa as well as the anthologies Diverse Minds and The Beckoning. Future publications include Duck Lake Journal and Coffin Bell Journal. When she’s not writing, she enjoys riding her own horse, Lucero, and hiking with her dog, Jessie.