My friend is only
23 years old and
her voice didn’t break
when she told me over the phone
that she has breast cancer,
that it runs through her genes—
termites devouring the rungs
of a wooden ladder.
              Her voice
              didn’t break.
And I can’t look away
from the image imprinted
in the backs of my eyelids
where her very full lips
and constellation of freckles
stand out — all her hair wilted
and shed, her skin gone
pale, like cornfields in winter.

Brittani Rable currently resides in Columbus, Ohio with her two cats (read: children). She works full time in digital marketing, while writing on the side. Her work has previously appeared in Us for President and Mosaic Magazine.