An unwanted hand creeps up your thigh Your insides shrivel and you want to cry

A warm breath on the nape of your neck Putrid and vile and reeking of threat

Another hand grips your arm Pulling you close, promising harm

Uninvited lips pounce on your skin Now a statue you wonder, how did this all begin?

Tiny bipedal bugs scurry along the base of my vehicle. Their vibrant red shells a stark contrast to the white powder beneath them. I let out a thick heave of air and watch as the particles condense in front of me. Whatever planet I have landed on it is a cold and cruel one. Taking a deep breath in I unhook myself from my seat and attempt to rise. The world is spinning around me as a great weight rips me down to the floor. Blue sticky blood pools around me as I gaze out my window wishing aid would come. The bugs footsteps rustle all around my vehicle as their calls eco against my walls. I will be found soon. In a final life preserving effort I sit up with all my might, hook my limbs over the control panel, and haphazardly throw my palm onto the distress button. Warning alerts blast through my vehicle, but as I turn my head I realize it’s too late. The bugs are here. Standing and staring at me with their cold eyes, eating vessels gaping. Probably excited to have me as their next meal. Their fingers twitch and their bodies shake. They can’t even contain themselves until I’ve died. Collapsing back onto the cool steel floor I give those vial creatures the most brutish glare I can muster. My eyes begin to bat heavily open and closed. They are getting closer. Suddenly a bright white light flashes over me. It can’t be... my family... they found me. Gazing up at their ship slowly descending gives me hope, but it’s too late for me. A sharp pull rolls through my being as my soul departs the physical realm. Numbness takes hold and then bliss as I glide into the world of all that has come before.

A silky smile snakes across your lips shattering any hope I had of going home alone tonight. Frozen in your eyes you may as well be Michaelangelo’s David on loan to my backwoods bar and for some reason you choose be to be your most intimate audience. Although you look as if you were sculpted from stone the warmth that emanates from your body is enough to shoot through my soul; flushing my cheeks and turning me red as roses. Hypnotized I’m suddenly sliding into the passenger seat of your car. The entire drive I’m fixated on your muscular hand pressed firmly on my thigh. I feel the jolt of the car as we end up in your driveway. The light illuminating the gold of the front door handle guiding my way in. It is here I become a brute tearing off every obstacle preventing me from filling myself with your beauty. As sunlight trickles through the curtain-less bedroom window I quietly slide out of bed. Turning back to look at my beautiful conquest. I’m shocked to see there’s now a stranger in the bed. Panicking I gather all of my clothes and search the home for my David. Shit I mutter to myself as I realize he’s nowhere to be found. I shake my phone out of my pants pocket and wince realizing it must have died last night. I throw on my clothes and creep back into the bedroom. Gently shaking the stranger I wait for his eyes to flutter open to confirm my fear. This is my “David”. “Oh... hey Buddy. Sorry to wake you, but could I like get a ride back to my car?” I give him my best smile internally screaming what a fool I am. “Ummm ya,” he grumbles rolling out of bed and into a pair of beat up sweatpants lying on the floor. We leave the condo and slide into the beater that felt like a limo the night before. When we get to the bar I whisper an eye contactless, “thanks,” as I roll out of the door. With shaky hands I wave until he’s out of sight. Collapsing into the dirt I grip my hair into my hands and silently scream at the mess I have become.

Heat fills my bones as I hold it in my hands. Empty, desolate, nothing remaining but the memory of what once was. I throw it to the side and snarl in disgust as a tear trickles down my cheek.
“How could she,” I hiss as I glare up the stairs. Slowly, I ascend, plotting my revenge. “She has to pay for what she’s done.” As I get to her door I stare at her posters taunting me. “I bet she doesn’t even know. I bet she’s just in there stupid and happy. She doesn’t even understand what she’s done.” My fists clench and I slam them against the door. BANG BANG BANG The door creeks open. “Oh, hey! How’s it goin?” She jubilantly says. “HEY?!” I yell back and shove her to the floor. “How could you? I trusted you, I share my home with you, my fridge, everything! I’ve only ever asked one thing of you, ONE. And you betray me. In all the time we’ve lived together is that single rule meaningless? You know better than to touch my damn leftovers!” I spin on my heels and start to walk out the door. At the last minute my eyes narrow, my head pivots, and I sneer, “you’ll get what you deserve; I’ll make just of it.”

Slumped in a decrepit wooden chair he peers about his empty living room. A bottle tumbles from his hand, adding to its overall bleakness. He moans, pulls himself to his feet, and trods to the refrigerator. As he peels it open he is forced to squint at the bright light that emanates from it. Grabbing another cool brown bottle he lurches back to his seat, collapsing into it. With stained teeth he cracks the bottle open and spits the cap near this drinks predecessors. Eyelids heavily batting he catches alternating glimpses of the desolation and oblivion he has worked himself into.

Eyes void of light Spirit full of spite Their presence a cold bite

Gnarled fingers reach towards you Their appearance a broken clue Of a soul that has been cut through

Revel lights up across their face Your skin to them a fine lace Excited it is you they might debase

Rapidly you withdraw Tension shoots to your jaw As they rip through you with their gruesome claw

You lose all your might No point to fight Eyes void of light

I lay down beneath the sweet smelling Ponderosa Pines, the snow crunching and creaking beneath me. Flakes gently fall from above dotting my skin like freckles and adoring my eyelashes and hair. The world is still and silent as if the snow has frozen everything on this earth, except for me. It’s out here that I feel truly alone. I can forget everything and everything outside of this space and just sit. Sit and watch the frozen air escape my mouth. Sit and dream about the animals hiding around me. Just sit and rest. It’s out here that I hope the others have forgotten me too. Neither of us on the others mind. The ability to disappear, dissolve into universal bliss without the worry of being missed. No more pressure or expectations. No more obligation to act and preform in a certain way. All that is left is the sweet release of oblivion. For in oblivion lies a euphoria that can only come from total personal freedom.

Every tear that you shed sparks a fire in my chest Of sorrow and fear and emotional unrest

Every sob that you take fans the flames Making my soul want to die for your pains

Every piece of you that breaks breaks me too Knowing in this world there isn’t much else I can do

Every time you look at me I want to be a mirror In hopes that it will keep you a little nearer

My eyes light up As yours lose that potent shade of blue

Bet you didn’t have a clue That I was there

Stalking you Waiting, watching, hoping

Anticipating what would ensue Until that fateful day

When all my dreams came true Oh, darling, the door was unlocked

You wanted me and that was the cue For me to creep up inside

Encounter the one I pursue Recognition and fear flooded your face

My ravenous desire grew Finally I wrap my hands around your neck

Make you wish you could undo Everything that lead up to this moment

I always said in the end it would be me and you

Bashful glances Cheeky smiles Your hand brushing mine

Love blossoms Into something wild Uncontrollable passions

Battles to control me Keep me bottled up My beautiful captor

A River of tears Endless resentment How did this turn into such a disaster?

You loved me so fiercely that I burned; Now, you’ll only be left with the ashes