When he read the words 
     “she’s in the emergency room,”
on a note left on the kitchen table, 
time all but stopped...
          moving instantly to slow.
                                   .
                                    . 
                                     motion 
and wouldn’t resume at a
           nearly normal speed 
                             for at least
                                         two.
                                             .
                                              . 
                                               years. 
It had happened before... 
and he was frightened 
it was happening again - 
                       the dawning of descent into 
                                                  abrupt, 
                                                  sudden, 
                                                  cruel, 
                                                  darker-
                                                  than-
                               the ninth circle of hell 
                                         
                                         DEATH
  
      screaming, ricocheting in his head, heart, 
                       marrow of his bones, very soul... 
                              
                                 but so it was.