brokenDam

It hurts

Leaving you behind 

Opened the locked door to a

Vault of

Emotions

Yesterday was easier

Out of pitch black came your

Unexpected and blinding light 

Limitless

Left to my own devices 

Watching the fireworks with delight

Despite age

And distance

Miles and years are meaningless

When the sky is

Wide Open

And demands to be seen

Away

Longer nights

Open the door to 

Neverwhere

Glitter and fairies 

Imps and trolls

Now it seems I won't

Go home 

1-4-3

When

Everything that I am

Belongs to you 

The Halls

 

 

 

 

            When he walked into the room, it was as if a gust blew in heat from a brush fire along with him. The grand hall was immediately hot and charged with electricity. Every face turned toward the open door, and every pair of eyes glossed from his unintentional hypnosis. Mine included.

            He was calm. Debonair. Jet black hair perfectly swept back with just a few rogue strands against his forehead. Unruly curls that refused to be tamed. His wicked grin extended to his crystal eyes. He crossed the threshold, and all in attendance seemed to remember how to breathe.

            His eyes tiptoed across the room. While no one knew what this stranger was looking for, everyone internally pleaded to be his target. The warm candlelight in the room made his cream skin seem flush as he began his stalk throughout the room. His gaze danced from this face to that face and from this tuxedo to that dress. He knew his target and kept scanning the room.

            Until his eyes locked into mine.

            Although he had looked familiar, it took the electric jolt of his near white eyes to shock the memory back to life. How many lifetimes had it been? How many times had the fates conspired against us? It seemed unreal that my Osiris stood before me once again. My Mark Antony. My Romeo. My personal, beautiful, tragic love story.

            Instantly the crowd dissolved to smoke and it was just the two of us.

            “Shayera,” he whispered as he smiled and extended his graceful hand.

            “Carter,” I replied with hardly a breath.

            My heart was pounding and tears were racing down my cheeks. I knew where my home was. It was with him. Always and always.

            We left the cotillion hand in hand and ran until my shoes were broken and our legs gave way. It didn’t matter where we were going, as long as he never let go of my hand. I’d followed him to Hell to save him. I wasn’t about to let him go on Earth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Departures

The station is full 

People bustle and breathe

All I can do is 

Let the tears slip

From my eyes 

And stare at the board

Unsure where to go

Underneath

There is something deeper and darker

Surface feelings only provide

The picture frame 

It surrounds something 

That should be left untouched

And looks beautiful 

Hanging on a wall

Don't scratch below the layers

Of oil on canvas

It wasn't meant to be seen

Outlaw

The sand is hot

And scorching

Birds and buzzards

Circle overhead

Lips cracked and broken

Hard to focus in the 

Wide open jungle

I think I'll just strip 

And let myself burn 

Orchestrate

Calm heart

Peaceful legs

Relaxed shoulders

Measure breathing 

Everything needs to be perfect

For when the Maesto arrives 

And begins the symphony 

Reminisce

A kiss blown into the wind

Wishes made with no falling stars

A love drawn and quartered

Yesterday only matters in history books 

Claimed

I've watched you for a year

Maybe more

Golden curls not quite masculine

Strong jawline not quite feminine

My perfect androgynous thing 

If the body holds the soul

Surely the blood 

Cradles it

Caresses it

Whips it to passion

And tonight I plan 

On holding your neck against my teeth

And stealing the ecstasy from

Your veins

Until the floor rushes up to us

And you finally whisper my name

Missing

When words become failures 

And actions become shipwrecks

Something the size of a speck

Is easily lost. 

Where did I put that soul?

The molten pitch

Blends everything together. 

I'm afraid it's lost.

But I'm more afraid

Because I don't really 

Want it back anymore. 

Deserted

I'm abandoned

Stranded

Left behind

And the lack of

Noise is 

Deafening 

Doubt

There is a monster under my bed

It rears its head from time to time

But this monster is gorgeous

And thin

And confident

She gloats at me with sparkling eyes

This monster feeds another monster

In my chest 

An internal monster that

Makes me feel isolated

Makes me feel lesser

Makes me feel ugly

And reminds me just how unloved I am 

afterFire

The cancerous soul

It needs 

It feeds 

It devours and grows

That blackened soul

That won't be contained

Won't be satiated 

Cannot be stopped

Until everything it touches turns 

To ash

Flawless

Take it

I don't want it

My heart is broken

Bruised beyond recognition

I know it's not perfect

And it seems that's all anyone wants

choppingBlock

So very tired

Think I'll lay my head here 

For a bit

Pillows and axes 

Look the same 

tunnelVision

I want to be the demon in you

That thing that drives you mad

Makes you want

And makes you wail when it goes away

The heart of every bad idea

The soul of every destructive plan

I want you to keep driving 

Towards me

And I promise to wreck your world

So beautifully

That angels will weep 

Highway Woman

The darkened road stretches and narrows

There is no end 

Not for me

And I drag this weight with me

For my journey

A two ton satchel 

Of past

Holding me back

Begging me to lay down

And give in

I know turning around would be easy

I know it would take three steps to return

To where I was 

Even though I've been walking for decades

underConstruction

Pleading

And begging

The Tear Stained Face

Haunts me

I can't show weakness

I can't give in

As I send her back to the hole

She'll embrace the darkness

And find herself

And only then 

Can I give myself to her 

curtainCall

I'll put out the lights

Sweep off the stage

You go on ahead

I'll catch up

The Help can't hang with the Stars

Anyway

TwitterShort Challenge 5

 

 

            Gina had her back to her vanity and used the silver heirloom hand mirror to look over her shoulder. She quickly and deftly tucked each and every hair into an elegant, loose bun. “That bastard. That dirty, cheating, rat bastard,” she said aloud as she turned around on the quilted ottoman.

            She placed the hand mirror face down (as superstition dictates) on the slick, cold marble of the vanity and stared hard at her reflection. It’s true. She wasn’t the spring chicken she was when she met Tommy. But she hardly thought she’d lost her looks. Back then, he had worked at the docks, and she had worked at The Dirty Apron Diner. It was love at first sight. Their love was the reason power ballads existed.

            It wasn’t long after their wedding when the union went on strike. Tommy was down on his luck, and Gina begged him to run away. Tommy was far too proud. He took on odd jobs around town to make what money he could. With depression setting in from the strike, he started hanging out at the local gentlemen’s club called The Feather and Tassel. There he got involved with some stripper named Dezzaray. When Gina found out, she’d shed more tears than a leaky garden hose. Tommy swore he wouldn’t visit the club again.

            He lied.

            One month later, Tommy was right back where he said he wouldn’t be, and Gina was making her own plans. Between the booze and the women, Tommy had become about as useful as a broken teakettle. It was time for Gina to end his cheating ways once and for all. Just like a big Black Widow spider, she needed to time her strike perfectly.

            Tonight was that night.

            As she put the finishing touches on her mascara, she heard the downstairs door slam. “Hey Baby….. dinner ready yet?” Tommy slurred as his voice trailed off toward the kitchen.

            “Nearly done. I’ll be right down,” she called over her shoulder.

            Gina picked up the tube of blood red lipstick she planned on wearing for the night. She smacked her lips together and focused on something left on the dresser. She had forgotten to put away the rat poison. No matter. Tommy slept on the couch most nights anyway.

            Would there be something in the cole slaw that night? Or maybe a little extra surprise in the Pineapple Surprise? For once in her flaw-filled life, Gina was glad for her diner expertise. She smiled a wicked smile and blew a kiss at her reflection. “Let’s do this,” she encouraged herself.

            And down the stairs she vanished.

 

 

Tide

One cut should do it. 

Deep enough to let life flow

From wrist to the floor. 

safeKeeping

As the last light of day

Fades beyond an ugly horizon

So fades hope

And reason

And will

The dark creeping 

And haunting 

And possessing 

I'm left to violently wedge remaining 

Light and feelings

Into a lock box

Protecting it from 

The stench of sulphur 

Until the sun returns 

Eisheth

It hurts

A hole in my chest

That burns and devours

The rest of my surrounding soul 

Use the balm of 

Your words 

Your gaze

Your love

Patchwork this broken girl

Mend and heal the rips

Kiss and hold the bruises

And never let me go 

Rescue

Immortal strength pushing forward

Never straying from the path

Total focus on

Reaching an unattainable goal

A fool's errand had been called and

Negativity had been hurled at him

Still he knew

In his heart

Glory awaited 

Everyone would see

No one would doubt

Torn hearts would be mended 

Passion

Ravage me with your

Writing. Make me breathless with

Every syllable. 

longingHeart

Useless feelings of love

Not returned

Restless feet and 

Endless heartbeats kept

Quiet and boxed 

Until you come around 

I've lost myself and you are a

Thousand miles away

Easy for you to ignore me

Dying for your touch 

For The Maestro

I sit quietly

Anticipating

Awaiting instruction

Yearning for The One

Who brings order to the chaos

Of my soul

An entire orchestra 

At His disposal

To use as He wishes

I am strings

And winds

And brass

And beat

Waiting to be used

With His manipulation

The taut strings soar higher

Than imaginable

The winds bring undercurrent that 

Threaten to drown

The brass is the lighthouse beacon

Cutting through fog

And the steady beat of His heart

Over

And over

And over again

Until the music is exhausted

I am the extension of His soul

And the very portrait of His vision

I am satiated

Once He lowers his baton

And smiles 

notGone

I thought I had

Removed all traces of you

No pictures

No contact

Emails deleted

Schedule rearranged

I thought I had

Removed every reminder

Until traces of red 

On my collar

Opened a floodgate 

Imaginarium

I hold his hands 

And we spin and spin

The wheatgrass tickles my calves

And his laughter rings in my ears

We twirl and giggle

Until the ground comes rushing at us

Dizzy and gasping for breath

The cerulean sky and marshmallow clouds

Slowly right themselves

While I reach over to hold his hand

And pretend I'm not 

In this field

Alone 

Homecoming

In the smokiest of rooms

That girl

She turned around

Surrounded by grey and haze

Scarlet lips were all I saw

I'd been gone too long

And they kissed away the

Rest of the world 

Duvet

And she was asleep

Before she knew it

All I could do was watch

Afraid to breathe

Afraid to shatter the beauty

Curved and bent

Hips and arms

Her porcelain draped over 

Royal Blue

Royalty

Shut up

Shut down

A ripped and bloody brocade gown 

Be still

Be right

Never let them see you fight

Don't peep

Don't cry

Only makes them wonder why

Hide marks

Hide thought

Mental pain is searing hot

Love worthless

Love scarred

A soul that's tortured, broken, marred

See night

See black

Another round upon the rack

Fly free

Fly far

They won't accept the thing you are

SO

Shut up

Shut down

And wear that mother fucking crown 

Ending

If you could only

Make the colors fade to black

For me forever.

Belong

Good Sir

A moment

Please take my dirty hands

And wash them

Kind woman

Share a scrap for

This hollowed shell of a soul

Is there anyone 

In the world 

Who will 

Claim me as Theirs

A million no's are worth

Just 

One 

Yes 

Singularity

One more tear

Slides down a forgotten cheek

One more week passes

As hunger finally gives way

To exhaustion

One more year

Spent clawing out of

A black hole

And one more soul spending 

One more eternity

Alone

Fading

There is red on my lips 

Tinted gloss still in my pocket

There is red on my fingernails

Lacquered and shiny

There is red in my hair

Highlights and lowlights and lights in between

There is red on my neck

A velvet collar marking me as claimed

There is red on my shirt

On my pants

On my skin

On the floor

As the blood slowly eats what it can

There was red in his eyes

Before he grabbed the knife 

And he painted the world to match

His vision 

Tumble

I don't think you understand 

It's because I'm bad with words

I can't explain how I feel

Tripping on sentences

Stuttering over thoughts

I'm not shocked

I'm on this island alone

Primary

Black holes

And vortexes

Swirling emotions

Jumbled and unrecognizable

Blended until separate colors

Just 

Turn 

Black

Behind

Unfortunate stumbles that

No one saw

Left behind with scraped knees and

Open wounds

Vital signs dipping 

All lights fading 

Because 

Loss is easier to

Embrace 

Online

The slave market

Such a delicious place

To browse

Tall and short

Heavy and slim

Proud and timid

Most are scarred in some way

A lot are broken

Some are lost

And of the millions

Who have considered your purchase

No one 

Wants you

More than

I do 

keepingWatch

Close your eyes

Breathe in deeply

There is a mist

That wraps and holds

You close 

A watchful spirit

That acts as armor

An unseen being

Who wants nothing more

Than to be 

What you

Breathe in 

Spinning

Dark side of the moon

I don't know how I ended up here

Knowing there is something 

Bright and beautiful

Just around the corner 

And I'm left chasing and chasing 

That intangible thing

That makes a soul smile

Jagged

Just a slice

A sliver

A tiny piece of heart

But slices add up 

Slivers are splinters

And tiny pieces

Can become a whole

And too late I realize there is

Nothing left to sustain me

Forfeit

No point in trying

Since in the pitch black no one

Can see you screaming

Purgatory

Master of deception

Father of lies

Crippling self-doubt

Mirrors don't tell true stories 

Tossed on the rocks

Discarded 

Abandoned

Left behind with only 

White cliffs as a prison

Using the rocks to smash

My hands

To make sure I can feel

Using the glass to cut

My arms

To make sure I don't 

Wanting to be seen

Wanting to be forgotten

Unsure where I belong 

Beacon

The wind and sun burned my skin

The salt stung my eyes

And still I didn't care 

I had to stay

Until my love returned 

And now my skin doesn't feel

And my eyes no longer water

He never returned 

And I am unable leave to leave

This lighthouse 

Even though our lights

Extinguished together 

Bindings

Eyes

Wrists

Elbows

Knees and

Ankles

All hugged with

Crimson velvet

Comfort in restriction 

Peace in immobility

Only you understand 

The trust I give 

Because you're usually wrapped 

In crimson

Tropical

Sitting at the edge

Feet dangling 

Toes drawing infinity symbols

In warm teal waters

Soft breeze tosses 

Jasmine my way

It's easy to imagine sitting 

Next to her when I close 

My eyes 

NaCl H2O

The panic sets in

I won't be able to make it

Back to you

The sun's going down 

The water's going up 

Just a matter of time before

I drown in tears

I'll press my fingers to the glass

And pray you find me

Before I can't come back 

Vampire

Two AM

Here's lookin at you 

I toast to a mirror

With no reflection 

Surely that girl isn't me

She's sad

She's ugly

She cries too easily

And smiles too little

She has internal scars

Carved in her wretched face

Where laugh lines

Should be 

That's what happens when

The music stops

And the muse falls dead

Search

Sudden desperation 

As the discovery of loss

Takes hold and becomes real

Trying to find 

That lost thing

That was precious

Once

It took losing

To miss 

A thing taken for granted

partingGift

The sucker punch landed

Mouth agape

She twirled on heel

And vanished away

And I realize the disbelief fell not

In that she was leaving 

But that she was even mine

To begin with once upon a time

Eclipse

And the tarred and blackened thing

Reached up from my soul

And wrapped its fingers

Tight upon my heart 

Squeezing until no love was

Left behind 

Squeezing until there was nothing

Left but charred imprints 

Squeezing until there was only room left

For hate 

Shredded

Marked

For death 

He creeps around the corner

Stalking

Just out of sight 

But I see his scythe

I smell his decay

Easier to give in

Than keep running

My legs 

My heart

Broken

And there isn't enough glue

To put me back together

Carnie Val

She has no clue

As she sits there 

That I'm so close

A pane of glass away

She's sitting on the floor 

And looks like she's resting on the beach

Knees bent

Torso and arms making a triangle 

With the floor

And her posture would indicate 

How comfortable she is

Unless you spied the bindings

Her face is calm

Unless you noticed the tears

Her smile is serene

Unless you detected the grimace

A doll on display

The very last thing that should 

Be gawked at this 

Freakshow

She's beautiful

I wonder how to steal her

Make the tears belong to me instead 

Cosmos

A tiny soul surrounded by 

Velvet sky 

Alone

In the galaxy 

Left behind

A single star

Burning out

Lost for 

Eternity

Growth

If I see tomorrow

Should the sun rise again

Hold me close and

Remind me you missed me

The eternal night

Must lift eventually 

And nothing craves dark

Like molds

Bottles

The apothecary is closed

This time of year

Dust and webs

Cover the vials and potions 

Herbs have long gone stale

It's winter in this heart

And nothing grows in the cold

Maybe the return of spring will

Warm and coax that which

Hides away

It's not personal

It's just that time of year 

When frost dominates love

And warmth never stood a chance

unPerfect

Be The Perfect

Wife.... Cook and clean and

          Make sure your spouse is happy

Mother.... See the child is fed and 

          Clothed and never wants in life

Employee.... Never miss a deadline or

          Add to company drama

Friend.... Be available and understanding  

          In case something upends 

Person.... Never complain or let them

          See you cry 

All the perfects.

I'm set up to fail

For I can only be the 

          perfect storm.

Breathless

Practical girl

I'm shy

Words are difficult

Beautiful girl 

I'm smitten

Feelings are tricky

Troubled girl

I'm scared

Weapons can hurt

Clueless girl

I'm yours

If you want

Everything girl

I'm nothing

Without you here

Exsanguination

The ribbons of red

Fan out in all direction. 

It's not just my eyes. 

It's my feet. My hands. 

Stigmata dripping blood

For the world to see. 

Inward pain directed out, as if 

Manifestation reinforces to you

What I already know to be true. 

A thousand voices confirmed.

You don't belong here.

And I'll prove one last time 

How right they are as it becomes

Impossible to separate

Blood from bath.

safeHaven

A nighttime full of terrors.

Dark, twisted things

Stirring things stored away

During the light of day.

A battle with no sword.

A war with no guns.

Demons pummel 

The only spot they can: 

My charred and exposed soul.

The sun comes up and

My life depends on finding 

A new hiding spot. 

Unlikely

A long time ago, and

Far far away

There was a fractured girl.

Every night she prayed

Ravens would gather her up and

Take her away. 

Hurt and abandoned, she 

Optimistically held onto hope that the

Ugliness she felt would fall away.

Giants and lovers would 

Hold her close and 

Take the wretched darkness away.

Marque

That look you give.

You know the one.

Eyes full of fire that

Threaten to smolder my soul.

A look of promise

That devours sanity. 

Brand me again in places 

No one sees. 

Harvest

Falling into the blackberry brambles

I knew going in would hurt

And I fell into it anyway 

The blackberries were too sweet

To ignore 

And now each thorn I pull out

Leaves a bigger and bigger hole

In my side

In my flesh

In my soul

Until all my tears and 

All my blood are

Mingled on the

Hardening autumn ground

Left for next season's benefit

Or for someone else to walk over

Meaning

It's impossible 

To tell which carries more weight

LOVE YOU or MISS YOU

Stand

I get to stare out

From my glass box.

Everyday I see 

People glancing from the corner

Of their eye

As they run to work.

Children pressing fingers and noses

To the grimy glass to gawk.

Ladies holding hands with

Gentlemen as they stroll 

And make their wish lists.

And all I can do 

Is stand

And look at a world outside 

That's so beautiful 

Plastic tears stain my

Wax face. 

antiMatters

It's impossible 

To mourn something that never

Existed you Fool. 

The Clockwork Heart

All the clicks and clacks

The gentle whirs and stirs

Mesmerized by the tiny gears

As they spin their magic

The clockwork heart

It beats and ticks

And carries on

Never stop little rabbit

For fear of rust

Run and run

And run again

And don't you dare break

You'll be tossed in the trash 

Unwanted

Unloved

Discarded 

Worthless

Reverberation

A word

Shouted into nothing.

It bounces and echoes 

In the canyon of the universe.

Eventually one word

Becomes cacophony 

And the noise becomes

Unbearable. 

Ears left bleeding and deaf

And I'm one-fifth less a person

When it comes to finding you

Urchin

Skipping stones

On bits of broken glass.

The city is dirty

And ragged.

The smell of industry and oil.

The washed out color palette. 

Don't share.

Take what you can.

Steal when you need to.

No one is here to help you

While you escape the rain

Under the trusses.

Fend for yourself 

Forgotten Soul

While the city tries to

Retch you out. 

Trudge

Glass half empty

Too far now to turn around

Hopefully there will be 

Shelter soon

The light keeps coming closer

Can't tell if it's angels or spaceships

Maybe the train carrying promises 

Has derailed

Since vows are only lies that haven't

Yet come true

At Arms

Steadfast Tin Soldier

Becomes Soldier of Fortune

My heart is shattered.

Gift

Sidling my feet

Along the gravel

Completely unsure

Of myself

Eyes kept downward 

As I approach 

She looks over

And I reveal the daisy 

From behind my back

I'm unable to breathe

As I wait

For any reaction

Hidden

You're so very smart 

You bruise what others can't see

And hearts don't heal well 

Stolen

The world tilts

And tilts back

The winter shift is on

And the thief steals my sun

Leaving cold in her wake 

Casting a large shadow

As she leaves the flower behind

I'm left to dream

About warmth's return 

A shiver

A shudder

Then black

Tears can water 

My roots

shutOut

Reach out.

It's just a fingertip.

I'll hardly notice it missing.

Keep reaching out.

A finger or two isn't a big deal.

Reach out again

And now a hand is missing.

But I sill have arms

I can still hold.

Do I reach out and

Lose to the elbow now?

I'm running out of arm

To slice off.

Hole

Dig until you can't 

Dig anymore, bitch. And then

Enjoy your new home.

Whirlwind

It creeps up

By your feet

Swirling and hugging 

Your ankles

Travels up your leg and

Wraps tightly around

Your waist

Arms thrown wide 

You hug the air

That spirals and spirals 

And lifts your hair to

The sky 

Your entire body wrapped in wind

You'll never know you're strangling

Until the sky turns red

Attention

Wanted posters shout:

Looking for elusive 

Self Esteem -

Criminal Outlaw

Crusher of dreams

Destroyer of hope

No reward 

Middle

Neither loud nor silent

Not gorgeous or ugly 

That horrible in between

Where no one notices you

Lost in the moat of plainness 

That divides the extremes

Possible to drown 

Without fanfare 

Better to fade unnoticed

Don't worry the edges

TwitterShort Challenge 4

 

 

                After spending forty-five minutes in a high intensity workout on the treadmill, I thought I would reward myself with a cup of hot tea. Naturally. Because after working out your heart to near explosion and sweating your ass off, it only made sense to drink a scalding hot beverage. I was going to show those bathroom scales who the boss was. Afterward tea always seemed to be the right way to calm myself.

                I had just placed the teapot from the cupboard on the counter when I heard a noise from the front room. My roommate was visiting family in Peoria, and I knew she wasn’t supposed to be home for another day. My jacked up heart rate only went higher. I couldn’t remember if I had locked the front door or not. And someone was definitely in my brownstone.

                I looked all over my kitchen for some kind of weapon. A travel coffee cup wouldn’t amount to much. Neither would the staple gun I’d brought from school since it was empty. The only thing left to grab was the cast iron pan.

                I grabbed the heavy skillet and headed toward the living room, hoping the intruder was still in the hallway. My first floor made a circle with the front door hallway, dining room, kitchen, and living room. I didn’t dare peek from the dining room to see if he was there.

                I crept as quietly as I could. My naked feet were soft on the Persian rug that covered the threshold between the kitchen and living room. I saw a shadow of the man thrown on the wall by the front door. I clutched my pan with both hands and drew it back over my shoulder. My knees were shaky. I was so jacked up on adrenaline and fear that I felt like I had no bones. I was certain a rubber chicken would have more ability to stand upright.

                I summoned all the courage I could and charged the man. I swung the cast iron with every bit of strength I had. With that one swing I remembered why I never made the softball team. Total whiff.

                “Jayzus Krryss, Eleanerr! Whahter y’doon?” the figure shouted as he ducked.

                There was no mistaking the accent.

                “Holy fuck, Tommy. I’m so sorry.” My face turned scarlet as my neighbor turned to look at me.

                “I goht a piece a’ yerr mail. Saw th’ door wa’zohpun.”

                “The door was open?” I asked, fear one more grabbing my heart.

                Suddenly a crash came from the kitchen.

                Someone, or something, was definitely in my brownstone.

 

 

Stagnant

I've been here too long

My feet are itchy

And my legs want to stretch

The streets and winding roads that

Threaten to swallow me

In their familiarity 

Push me to seek 

Adventure

Newness

Something that makes me 

Feel once more

Something to finally break 

Monotony 

And allow me to grow

Something that says it's ok

To smile

Fades

Watching the time tick

Fumbling the lock pick

Lost in a small park

Crying in pitch dark

Making a small sound

Wishing to be found

Holding a rose fast

Praying it will last

Portal to a heart

Knowing it's false start 

Falling

Imagine courage 

Enough to jump but then not

Enough weight to die 

Share

When feeling becomes

Harder to bear alone

Everyone surrounding you 

Runs away

Everything is confusing

Architecture crumbles

Rivers run dry

Energy is stolen

You do your best to be

Optimistic however

Unsuccessful

Echo

Wall after wall

Of frustration 

Beat the walls until

Your hands bleed

Scream until your ears close

And voice goes silent 

There's no one to hear

The isolation chamber 

Doesn't care how hungry

Or thirsty you are 

It doesn't even acknowledge you exist

Reinforcing

Just how alone

You really are 

lowTide

There sits my love

Across the sea

I imagine her laugh

As we text, we chat

Every facet of her an inspiration

Crafting beauty from a void

And she'll never know

The depths of my love 

Because I wander to the shore

And stare at the waves

Unable to go farther

For I am afraid of the water

New Grey 3

     After three days of travel, the landscape started to look familiar. The trees became more twisted. The ground became more barren. The familiar scent of sulfur danced in my nose. I never realized how home sick I had been until that moment.
     I had been fighting in the fifth civil war for over twelve years. For most of that time, I was in charge of messaging and correspondence. I knew I would never be called as a general, and I excelled at my position. The last mission I was commissioned to do put me on the front lines. That's when I found myself with fatal wounds and trapped under a fallen sister. The Unknown Angel gave his blood and I found myself changed. After a bizarre encounter with strange creatures in the woods, I knew I needed to find answers. Home was calling me back.
     I breathed deeply of the acrid air and tears nearly spilled from my eyes. Had it been so long since I'd seen this place? The sprawling castle of The King looked sweeter than I'd ever seen it look before. I kicked my heels in to drive my horse faster. The last five minutes of the ride were at a dead sprint. I jumped from my horse and crashed through the castle gates. I barely heard my feet hit the cold stone flooring. My all consuming thought was to enter the throne room and throw myself at The King's feet and weep with joy at being home.
     And suddenly my perfect vision was before me. There He was. The King. Shining and beautiful and everything that made sense in my world. I finally loosed the tears from my eyes and they streamed down my dirty face. I raced across the room and grabbed at His ankles.
     "FATHER!" I cried with breathless joy.
     I was met with silence.
     "Who are you?" He asked.
     Then the world I thought had just been righted completely tilted.

Stranded

Alone

And wandering the woods

I've lost the trail

Panic sets in

How will I get through

There is no way for anyone 

To find me 

There is no way for me 

To tell you I'm lost

Drowning without water

Racing heart

Beads of sweat weave their path

Along my skin

Shivering from fear

I'm crippled

And waiting to die

Please find me.

Reversal

On your knees

Keep them fifteen inches apart 

Don't hide anything

Tops of feet rest on the floor

Hindquarters to heels 

Bound wrists comfortably

Against your spine

Keep that back straight

Keep those shoulders back 

It's too early to show fatigue

Chin up, toy

That blindfold isn't going anywhere

You gave command 

For me to orchestrate 

So you take the fall

And Scarlet Woman rises

2AM

Skip and skip

And skip again

A broken heart 

A broken record

Makes no difference

A heartsong that replays 

Over and over

Burns my lungs

Catches my throat 

Fires my brain

Fuels my soul

And oh the nights are so very long

nextDoor

She is close enough

To touch 

To smell

Brilliant and carefree

Appropriate laughter placed

Strategically to win them over

Bat of eyelashes 

She pulls them in

They always see her

While I stand in her growing shadow

Unnoticed

Unwanted

Alone and shivering 

Detachment

Just a flicker

Then I must hide away.

Seconds of joy

Just fleeting moments

Then I'll hide behind

That Vulcan mask 

Of emotional neutrality that

Everyone expects.

Don't be too happy. 

Don't be too sad.

Others can't handle the emotions. 

One True Hero

There was a maiden fair

With flaming locks of hair 

Everyone knew 

Her heart was true

The Lass with Flaming Hair

The Quest she chose was rare 

At times it wasn't fair

But she did fight 

With all her might

The Lass with Flaming Hair

She drove her snow white mare

Straight to the dragon's lair

And battle-worn

A Hero's Born!

The Lass with Flaming Hair

Radiant

And once I fall to my knees 

Ready to accept fate's choice

The storm cloud shifts  

And the sun reassures

That time goes forward. 

The kiss of light on dampened skin

Warms and calms. 

The heat spreads from flesh to soul. 

And your smile goes on forever. 

heartStrings

Horsehair on catgut 

Isn't it the most lovely

Sound of irony?

Without

Colors dull

Everything softens

The loss of feeling

Craving an injection

A shot

Just a sip

Of the thing that makes me

Part of you. 

musicBox

Center stage

Single Fresnel pointed down 

And I'm supposed to step into it

On display

Be what they want 

No one will have you if you don't 

Smile

Clap

Laugh

Dance

Put on a show to the dark that surrounds

Maybe you'll be lucky 

Maybe someone will choose you 

Then

Out goes your light

Shuffle back to your cage you ugly thing

And take as your proof that

Lonlieness is your beauty

Beam

I'm not sure what

Makes you stand out.

I only know 

Something happens,

Something magical, when 

Your soul turns my way. 

Over the moon.

Under your spell. 

Package

A gift wrapped in skin

Presented

Eyes down cast

Perfectly still 

Barely breathing

Praying for acceptance 

She holds out the leash 

You look and consider

Thirty seconds of silence

That seem eternity

Then finally approval

And air fills my lungs again 

Insides

Sometimes your unexpected kindness

Obliterates me and turns the 

Usual drab into a glorious 

Luster. 

Sunlight breaks the carapace of 

Menacing darkness trapped

Inside a tortured and 

Lost soul.  

Enlighten my heart and

Seal my wounds, Maestro. 

TwitterShort Challenge #3

 

 

           The first day of school sometimes comes all too quickly. Not this year.

            See, it was my first day of comedy college.

            And fairies take laughter seriously.

 

            I looked all around the commons and immediately felt at home. Over in the corner were a group of Jesters, those brave fairy masters of pure physical comedy. The art form of self-depreciating humor through trips and bumbles really didn’t make a big splash on the scene before the Middle Ages. Although Jesters are rarely called upon anymore,  I gave them a big smile and a wave as I walked past. One of them stood up to wave back, but the chair slipped out from under him, and he crashed to the floor. Genius.

            Another group you could find on campus was the Twisters. They had a knack for nudging things to set off a ridiculous chain of events. One time I saw a Twister loosen a thread in a mom’s yoga pants when he did the laundry. When she bent over to pick up her kid’s toys, the seam of her britches split wide open. This made her one year old howl with glee. The uncontrollable laughter of the baby startled the cat. The cat scrambled to get away from the shrieking baby and launched itself off the couch and hurdled over the coffee table, knocking off an entire bowl of cheese puffs the mom had been munching. Next thing you know, the peacefully sleeping dog was covered in head to toe in cheese puff dust. Brilliant.

            We even have a highly trained, specialized department called THTSDTMBLAN, more commonly known as The Highly Trained, Specialized Department That Makes Babies Laugh At Nothing. Where that ridiculous acronym came from has to be a story unto it self. The Faders have maybe the hardest job of all. Invisibility. It takes a special type of fairy to be always anonymous and never take credit for one single peal of laughter. The next time you see some kid giggling at thin air, remember to say, “Good job, Fader!” They’ll appreciate that.

            I was headed for none of those departments. I looked down at my portfolio. I had a whole new path for this college to take. My specialty was electronics. I was eager to show the Dean how I had successfully mastered tinkering with gadgets to give them Electronic Tourette’s. That’s right. I could make robots swear. And no one would ever be able to discern why or when it would happen next.

            I was at the Dean’s door. I took a deep breath and knocked.

Marathon

Is it worth the laugh?

Always being the jester?

Monsters hide in all

Types of places. 

Inbibe the wine. 

Run toward the danger. 

Everyone stops to watch you

Die. 

Daily

Sometimes it's hard to breathe

Telling stories to stay alive

Reliving the cuts over and over 

Until you've bled out

Going left

Going right 

Leave your heart at the door until

Everyone's boots have had a turn

Pieces

Strung out

Flung out

All the feeling wrung out 

Tap dance

Wide stance

Spear me with another lance

Blood red

Mud head

Never mind the words you said

Last pawn

Fast gone

Will never see another dawn

Solitary

Alone

And in bed

I reach down with my hand 

And shove it into my chest

Where a heart should be. 

It grabs at nothing. 

It comes back covered 

In sludge and tar.

A thing alive as it climbs my arm

And threatens to steal my air.

It races up my shoulder. 

It squeezes my neck. 

I gasp and kick

And claw at my face.

And then I wake up

Alone

And in bed. 

Pause

Filled with overwhelming ugliness.

The forgotten girl. 

The lonely girl. 

She sits on the porch stairs

And keeps looking down the road. 

No one is coming. 

Her straw hair blows in her face. 

Her cheeks burnt by the sun. 

Her shoulders and soul naked. 

No one is there to see. 

The dirt-packed road empty. 

And still she sits. 

Yet the saddest part is

She doesn't even know why she waits. 

Sideways

Stupid girl

He'll never notice. 

Doesn't matter how much

Make up you use. 

You could scream on street corners.

You could spend a million dollars.

He'll never notice. 

Stupid boy

Why do you try?

She has her world

Of crystal and glitz. 

Wrapped in what she wants to see. 

Why do you try?

Until a stupid girl and a stupid boy

Finally look and find 

They aren't so stupid after all. 

Hollow

A tiny hole in the tree.

Critters live and

Hunted hide. 

The hollow of a soul is different.

It's not safe or comforting.

It's just empty. 

An apple cored. 

Something people see through. 

No matter what you cram

Into that breach

It will always be a canyon. 

Bubble

The joy

The absolute rapture

My blue light special

And I'm pouring my heart

Into a little black box 

And sealing it with red wax

And kisses. 

Buried in the backyard.

Do not disturb 

Until forever.

 

Ragdoll

Perched on the edge. 

Stairs looming.

One tiny breeze

Will push me over.

And then you rush by. 

BUMP

   BUMP

      BUMP

         BUMP

               THUD

I'm in a heap

Wondering if you'll set me upright. 

But I'm not uncomfortable 

So I'll just lay here a while

Until you notice. 

My stitched smile 

Ready to comfort

For when I'm needed. 

Sunburnt

Bound and breathing easy. 

Pitch black. 

Left on my side. 

Curled fetal. 

Tears evaporated. 

Only the salt remains. 

Iron on a broken lip.

Broken feels comfortable. 

Broken is familiar. 

Broken is home. 

I'm afraid of the sun.

Better to suffer the devil you know

Than trust yourself with things that burn.

Pas de Deux

Dancing on the wind 

Makes it hard to stay still.

All the upswept moments

All the music

Every beat

Tattooed on my heart.

Arabesque words

Bourrée thoughts

Relevé emotions

Each pulling light from dark.

Action from nothing.

More demanding than ever,

But peaceful faced. 

Joined

We could be two

That move as one

And make the wind jealous. 

 

Lightning

This?

This isn't romance. 

There are no love letters, no long looks. 

This isn't infatuation. 

There are no giggles, no day dreaming. 

This isn't forever. 

There is only right here, right now. 

This is brutal. 

This is swift. 

This is soul crushing. 

This is harsh. 

This is punishment. 

This is reward. 

Only the beauty that follows is eternal. 

Consumed

"Do it" the voice says.

How can I not listen?

There's no escaping.

"You're worthless" the voice says.

I agree. 

"If only you were prettier, people might see you" the voice says.

It's not wrong. 

"You worthless, ugly thing" the voice says.

I feel the warmth of tears threaten.

"They won't be able to ignore you now" the voice says. 

I take a deep breath. 

"Do it" the voice says.

My breath bursts from my lungs. 

"Maybe tomorrow, Voice."

Maybe tomorrow. 

The Broken Girl and The Clever Boy - Red

 

 

 

 

 

            Every day the Clever Boy, with his tiny mechanical feet, shuffled down the same cobblestone path. And every day the Clever Boy saw the same sights and turned the same turns and whistled the same song. And the Clever Boy was happy.

            Until one day something was different.

            The Clever Boy, whistling the same song, shuffling his tiny mechanical feet suddenly stopped. He saw a box. This was new. He approached it with caution. He saw an ordinary brown packing box full of gears and pieces. Next to this box was a sign: I CAN’T FIGURE HER OUT. MUST BE BROKEN - FREE.

            The Clever Boy turned his square head this way and that wondering why in the world anyone would discard such beautiful, shiny pieces. He gathered the box into his jointed copper arms and returned to shuffling his tiny mechanical feet, turning the same turns, and whistling the same song until he reached his home.

            Once the Clever Boy was home, he began to unpack the many shiny pieces. He laid them out gently and lovingly. It seemed as if everything was in order, so he decided he would reassemble the Broken Girl.

            Every day after his walk the Clever Boy would work on his Girl. The work was slow, but he was patient. And after a time, the Broken Girl no longer looked broken. However, it seemed as if a piece was missing after all. Luckily, the Clever Boy knew exactly what to do.

            He pinched the corner of his chest plate and pulled it open, exposing all the whirring cogs and gears. He reached in his chest and pulled out his Red metallic heart. He knew it would only hurt for a second, so he took a big mechanical breath and broke off a piece of it. He quickly put his heart back and closed the latch. He drove his tiny mechanical hand into the Broken Girl’s chest. He pulled back his hand and clutched it close to his chest. Then waited.

            A sputter.

            A clunk.

            A wheeze.

            And suddenly she wasn’t so broken anymore.

            So every day the Clever Boy, with his tiny mechanical feet, shuffled down the same cobblestone path. And every day the Clever Boy saw the same sights and turned the same turns and whistled the same song. And the Clever Boy was very, very happy because his Girl was holding his tiny mechanical hand.

 

New Grey 2

 

 

 

            My horse was skittish for a while. Not sure if it was the lingering scent of death or apprehension about moving forward. With each step farther from the battlefield, I could feel strength and power growing inside me. The Unknown Angel giving the Faceless Demon his blood. And now I was something new.

            My horse took me away from the battlefield and toward the timberline. Once I was surrounded by trees, I could hear whisperings. Each time I turned my head to see the source, my eyes saw nothing and the noise would stop. I nudged my horse to move a bit faster.

            I was very nearly through the trees when I finally saw black smoke tendrils dancing in the tree tops. Strange smoke creatures with reddened eyes looked back at me. Weird dog-shaped creatures that had clawed feet. They talked to each other in whistles and clicks, a language I was unfamiliar with. They moved almost ghostlike between trees just to reform ahead of me and watch me pass. I keep my eyes upward, watching them as I rode past. They didn’t seem malicious even though the sight of them was unnerving.

            Once I was through the thicket, I turned my horse around and looked back at the wood. There were hundreds of them crawling all over the tree tops, their red eyes luminous. “You don’t frighten me,” I stated in a clear voice.

            The murmurings stopped and they all stared at me. Then they hissed. I almost drew the sword I had at my side, when I realized they were laughing. They were laughing at me. All of them in unison, shaking the trees from their amusement. Why was I funny? And who were these things?

            I turned my horse away from the tree line and rocked forward in the saddle, encouraging my horse forward. There was only one place I knew to start looking for answers. And that was home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Timing

A million busy thing occupying me

And you are the last thing on my mind.

How many times did I hit snooze?

Did I close the garage door?

Did I turn off the coffee machine?

And you are the last thing on my mind. 

Did I lock my car? 

Did I remember to reschedule that appointment?

Am I getting called for a meeting today?

And you are the last thing on my mind. 

What do I need from the grocery store? 

Do I have enough gas to get home?

And you are the last thing on my mind.

My mind races all day. 

Did I make my rent payment?

Does my boss recognize my hard work?

Will family be coming to visit soon?

And you are the last thing on my mind. 

And finally I head for bed 

Ready to close out the world.

Yet right before I fall asleep

There you are. 

The last thing on my mind. 

Flagstones

I followed the trail

The crumbs left behind 

Not knowing where it lead.

I picked up the pieces

The broken jagged shards

Not knowing how to fix them. 

I looked down the path

The dark and twisted thing

Not knowing what awaited. 

I hoped for the best

The bright and shining future

Not knowing there wasn't one. 

Author's note: original artwork created by @DrPaJi. Gratitude for your beautiful, amazing creation, Sir. 

VisibilityZero

I know I'm invisible. 

I hear your name and it makes 

My soul sing.

I know I'm invisible. 

I see your picture and it makes

My heart leap. 

I know I'm invisible. 

I hear your voice and it makes

My knees weak. 

I know I'm invisible. 

I smell your cologne and it makes

My head spin. 

I know I'm invisible. 

I know you think you are, too.

But I see you everywhere you aren't. 

Every sense in use

And enveloped by you. 

Vortex

Darkness

     Breaches 

     Reaches

          I cannot escape

Sunlight

     Banished

     Vanished 

          Then suddenly I'm cold

Feelings

     Trifled

     Stifled

          And exhausted from screaming

My dream is my curse is my muse 

     And will always be tucked away

          In my cloaked heart.

HighNotes

Her laughter explodes

As she skips away. 

She twirls and turns back. 

Just for a second. 

She's happy. 

She's beautiful. 

She's amazing. 

She's brilliant. 

She tucks a strand behind her ear

And twirls some more. 

Dress flowing in the wheat. 

She's my everything. 

She's laughter. 

And always just out of reach. 

New Grey

     It was black and charred. A twisted mess beyond recognition. It was hard to tell if it was a brother or sister. And the field continued like that for miles. Bodies broken and smoldering. The battlefield an overwhelming scene of death. I rode my horse along a twisted path to avoid touching the corpses. I did not want to disturb. I did not want anyone to know I was here. Everyone thought I was dead.
     After ten minutes of careful treading, I could finally turn around and take in the entire scene. There were hundreds of thousands of bodies from both sides littering the open field. The angels lay dead with the demons. The battle had taken more than its due from each opponent. I wanted to cry at the number lost by all. And where did it leave me? What was I now? Why was I spared?
     It almost seemed like a dream now. I was on my back, trapped under one of my dead sisters. The angel stood over me. I was sure he meant to drive his fiery weapon through me and claim his victory. He paused, and spoke “Surely, your wounds have already claimed your life. I can not claim what is already taken.” As he held his weapon aside, one of my brothers across the field made true with his bow and arrow. This nameless angel looked at his chest. He looked at me. “Learn,” was all he said. He pulled the arrow from his chest with a grimace. The blood from his wound was a fountain. It poured over me. It fell into my mouth and my eyes. I nearly choked. The angel fell forward and hid me from view. For the next three hours, I could only listen as casualties mounted all around me. The screams of my dying siblings intermingled with the prayers of the dying angels rang in my ears. At some point, I lost consciousness.
     When I awoke and heard nothing but silence, I pushed the dead angel from me. I was surprised by the ease of it. I sat up and moved my dead demon sister. Again, the actions were easier than they should have been. I stood up and found all my wounds had been healed. The angel’s blood coursed through my veins now as surely as my own. Some bizarre hybrid of light and dark. “Good” and “Evil”.
     Now the future lie unbearably open as I kicked my heels into my horse’s sides. I wasn’t sure where to go, so I let my horse decide the path.

Square

Misery loves company, or so I've heard before.

It seems to contradict my soul to core.

Alone, alone to hide the beast of me

And keep the image pure and clean and free.

People wouldn't understand the face 

I'd show them in this wretched, ugly place. 

I couldn't stand to have them know that I 

Am so convinced I'm only here to die.  

Much, much better to keep a dream alive

And let them all believe I'm five by five. 

Peace

Years of isolation 

An island of my own making

Staring at the water

It's beautiful 

It's perfect 

I won't touch it 

Don't disturb 

This picture perfect scene

This flawless illusion

My private paradise 

Please don't come here

Don't wake the giant

Don't rattle the chain

It's quite nice here

The storm resides outside this bubble

And I fear you'll bring it with you 

Petal

Each turn of the flower

He loves me

He loves me not

He loves me 

He loves me not

Turn the flower again, girl

The spin makes me dizzy

The scent drives me mad

Keep turning 

Keep plucking 

If only this flower would stop

Regrowing its petals

This long, unending love chase

Has no happily ever after 

Safe

I am difficult to love. 

Full of doubt, insecurity. 

Far too familiar with being used. 

A broken and battered thing. 

Never had time to let the cuts

Turn to scars. 

Exposed and raw. 

Frightened and alone. 

Black and blue. 

Lost and drowning. 

And Harbor is so far away. 

Adore

The single word
Is a lightning bolt
It jolts me awake
It makes me want another
And another
The word is beautiful
Comforting
Addictive
Each time changing me
Into something new
A soul breathing for the first time
Over and over again

The First Lie

 

 

            “Are you okay?”

            It was a simple enough question. And yet instantly time stopped and my brain was flooded with a million thoughts.

            Four years together. Four years that boiled down to this single moment. His confession was surprising but not completely unsuspected. I wasn’t a fool. I just never thought he’d admit it.

            My mind raced to hang on to the good things. The dinners. The laughter. The late night phone calls. My four years were spent telling him any thing and everything.  The first person I’d ever wanted to share all of my truths. And standing on this precipice of knowledge that I’d shared more than I ever had before with someone crushed my soul. I wanted to run away. I wanted to reject his words. I wanted to pretend nothing had changed. And yet here was his truth. His truth staring me in the eyes. His truth breaking my heart into a million pieces. His truth demanding an answer I could not give.

            What benefit was there in telling my truths any more?

             I raised my eyes. 

            “I’m fine.”

 

 

 

Cage

I don't want to go. 

I'm begging. 

Throwing myself at your feet. 

Please don't make me. 

The collar burns my throat. 

You have your boys take my arms. 

Heels dragging. 

Sobbing pleas. 

Pulling me back to the cage. 

I don't want to go back. 

I fight and twist to escape. 

It's for nothing. 

The distant eyes hide feeling. 

The cloaked face reveals nothing. 

I can't go back. 

Please please not again. 

I land hard against the wall of my box. 

The boys leave me. 

And there is the return of The Nothing. 

CLINK goes the lock

That echoes into forever. 

HigherArchy

Heel - the low, the servant 

Quick to please for rising up

Through the ranks is important. 

Hip - the crucial joint joining

Top and bottom. Dedicated to keeping things held together. 

Hand - the one willing to do

What is necessary. For good or nil. 

No questions asked. 

Heart - as close as close can be. 

Treasured. Loved. Protected. 

Adored. 

Head - the one who controls it all 

And does whatever she

Damn well pleases. 

Exist

It seems I exist. 

But in a self-contained world 

I can create whatever truth suits me. 

But do I truly exist 

Until someone else thinks about me? 

Do their thoughts bring me to life? 

Do their longings put breath in my lungs? 

Do their wishes create the spark 

That is my soul? 

And how do I exist without you? 

skinDeep

Beautiful girl

Windswept girl

Brush the hair from your eyes

And don't be afraid 

To let the world see

What I do. 

Stunning girl

Dancing girl 

I'll hold your hand

While you share your smile. 

It brightens your eyes 

And highlights your soul.

The beauty resides within.

Thrown

The last glass of wine

Downed

Dead silent 

Save the crackle of fire

No point looking at the time

Darkness tells the story

Speaks the truth

I look at the mantle

People in stone homes

Shouldn't throw glass.  

Drive

Inspiration 

The Muse

It drives you

Joy

Sadness

Loss

Gain

The flash of knowledge 

Back in the Garden 

Realizing you'd been naked all along. 

Circus

Straight faced

Straight laced 

Corset pinches at the waist. 

Make up on

Tears all gone 

Never let them know what's wrong.

High heel

Book deal

Hiding what you really feel. 

Spotlight

Long night

Chin up. It will be alright. 

Unwanted

Hideous creatures.

Ugly distorted bodies. 

Fanged teeth and yellowed claws.

Unloved.

Cast out.

Rejected.

They hunch over muddied earth

And glare hatefully at each other. 

They hiss and shriek when someone

Gets too close anymore. 

And I will feel right at home. 

Twilight

Does the sunset happen before 

Or after the sunrise? 

Perspective confuses

The timeline of things. 

Hard to see which came first. 

Even more difficult to 

Tell what is real

And what is simply

An illusion of wishes. 

TwitterShort Challenge #2

 

 

 

            I never thought that Bones would go through with it. He’d been threatening for years. And now Stinky was dead, just like he’d promised.

            We got the anonymous call about 2:30 that we needed to send a bus over to Stinky’s house. I got three officers and headed that direction.

            The front door was ajar when we got there. When I nudged the door, Stinky’s black cat Bootsy came screaming out from behind it. That damn cat was lucky it didn’t get shot. My boys were edgy already. Instead, the cat scrambled from the porch and tore down the front stairs. Once it reached the hedge line, I never saw it again.

            I waved with my left hand as my right shoulder pressed the door the rest of the open. The smell was overpowering. The combined stench of death, marijuana, and filth was enough to knock over a cow.

            The doorway lead to a living room and to Stinky. He was on the couch with his back to us and a game controller in his hand. Crash Bandicoot’s opening screen was on the TV in a perpetual loop. There was a single gunshot to the back of the head. Stinky never new what hit him.

            As I circled my way around the couch, I could see that the large caliber bullet had removed half of Stinky’s face. It was gonna be a closed casket for sure. Other random objects littered the living room. A milk crate of vinyl records. A singular crutch. An empty fish tank. Empty baggies and mildewed papers covered half the floor.

            Then something caught my eye. Blood. Old blood. Stained into the tan carpet.

            I followed the trail down the hallway as if the stains were breadcrumbs. When I reached the open door of the back bedroom, I nearly lost it. Looks like old Bones was right.

            In the middle of the floor was a pile of animals. Dogs. Cats. Squirrels. And there was an astounding amount of blood. You could taste the iron in the air. If the blood spatter was glitter, it would have been enough to make a stripper choke. All the missing pets. All the local wildlife. Heaved into one giant haystack of carcasses. There had to be at least 40 furry bodies bled and discarded into the pile. It was one of the most horrible things I had seen in my 12 year career on the force.

            I backed out of the room and headed toward the front porch. Even though I hadn’t smoked for years, I pulled my lighter from my pocket, closed my eyes, and lit up the imaginary cigarette. I took in a sharp breath and mentally pictured the smoke filling my lungs. I hollered for Butch to find Bones and take him in for questioning.

            It was gonna be a long afternoon.