‘Come to the estuary,’
she says
and her fingers are fishnets
holding me
fast;
‘Don’t worry about the dark,’
she says
and her laugh is an old song
I can’t
remember;
‘I’ve been here such a long time,’
she says
and her sigh is a creaking
rope pulled
taut;
‘Wade in deeper with me,’
she says
and her shimmering skin
is moonlight on
glass;
‘I want you to hear what I hear,’
she says
and her arms are lead anchors
yanking me
down;
‘Stay,’
she says
and her voice is a foghorn—
a keening—
a moaning—
a warning too late.
Issue 11
LOW LIGHT
Rebecca Cuthbert writes dark speculative fiction and poetry. She is the author of In Memory of Exoskeletons (Alien Buddha Press, 2023) and Self-Made Monsters (Alien Buddha Press, 2024). Her poem ‘Still Love’ earned Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominations (Nocturne Magazine).