there

there is nothing to be done
about the fire. it is a self-
contained emergency. out of all
the locked carriages of the
subway car, she moves. via the
intercom, the conductor says
either the overhead sprinkler
system will work or it won’t,
says the ballast shifted in the
course of the journey, when all
the passengers at 54th got off. i
watch her leaving. she didn’t
believe in the concept of locks,
or fire, or self. my own arm is
overheating.