We walked off the University grounds 

following a sacred sidewalk

that twisted through the trees

near a high wall. 

“I’m going inside.”

“You can’t; you might get hurt,” my date pleaded.

I climbed a tree and jumped anyway.

“I’ll see you on the other side.”

I cut the graveyard and reached a cottage.

There was a registry and a date of death

inside

left blank under kerosene light.

I picked up a quill and thought about my life.

“At least 100 years,” I said and signed.

My end was there

in black and white

Then a cat led me

Through waist-deep grass

And I climbed the wall to the other side.

I followed her feline tail

pointing like a rudder

Where a girl sat reading

a romance novel

at the pier

“How does it end?” I asked

She smiled.

“You have to wait

to find out.”