By: Dovile Mark

When I was young
There lived a wolf
Down the hall of our apartment building

My parents called him a neighbor
He might have even had a name
I don’t remember

He would appear outside our door
When my parents left for work
Breathing

Unlike the wolf in the fairy tales
He did not have to huff and to puff to break the door down
He used his magic powers to walk trough the closed doors
Or maybe just the door lock picks that would dangle from his short stubby fingers

I still remember the sound of breathing in the hallway
Where it was silent just a moment before

He would come in
Demanding secrecy and bearing gifts
An apple or an orange for my little sister and me
Standing there in short summer dresses in awe of his secret powers

Our curiosity greater than fear
We ate the fruit

***

Dovile Mark was born in Lithuania and now spends time between Maryland and Hawaii. She enjoys working as a writer, filmmaker, actor, puppeteer and stunt performer. Her poetry and stories have been featured in several magazines including “Poet’s Ink” and “Main Channel Voices”.  She has performed live at many venues in Europe and US including theaters, literary festivals, jail facilities, hospitals and Stoop Storytelling Series at Center Stage in Baltimore.