Raucous laughter permeates his ears Smiling gleefully, lager dribbling down the corners of his mouth Slapped across the back, fooling around on a Saturday night A night out on the town
Stumbling towards the bar, the ninth drink or perhaps the tenth He’d lost count Banging fists on the table, a scream for help masked by an intoxicated smile Silent to the others, he weeps bitterly
SHOTS! The fiery liquor coats the back of his throat, burning away any voice left House music thumps violently, shaking his body A single tear lands in his glass
Surrounded by his friends No… friends is far too strong These bodies didn’t truly care for him A superficial nod of the head or an empty ‘how are you’ possibly but nothing more Surrounded by his fellow species
The more smiles he saw, the more people he locked lips with, the more claps across the back The perpetual isolation would never leave Perhaps it was a part of him
Dousing these sorrows with another vodka He staggered towards the dance floor The story of a man in the midst of his demise Never alone yet always lonely
His glittering emerald eyes They appeared to float Among the cerulean skies Shivering under a puffer coat
Speaking softly, under breath Dark alley ways after hours Drunks and junkies on meth Under these conditions, our love flowered
Yet a product of his place High on his own supply Felt time was an athlete, his empty space Couldn’t hear his final sigh
His frail body lying among blue sheets I couldn’t help but stare Decayed in less than a week Final whispers wandered away without care
Atakan of the Felango Clan was a simple man. A bowl of fermented mares milk, a bloody battle, his woman and a bearskin was enough to keep him satisfied. Yet, any man, woman or child that made the mistake of a betrayal, wouldn’t survive to see the sunrise.
Of course, crafty Kassandra of the Ritacan Clan was unaware of this. No one could blame the poor general, she simply obeyed orders. A diligent worker ant that happened to get caught under the foot of justice.
Atakan had taken Kassandra under his wing after discovering her as a primitive savage, foaming at the mouth. Without a leader, the Ritacan Clan had collapsed. Atakan nurtured Kassandra, teaching her the ways of the Felango. How gullible.
You see, Kassandra was a loyal fighter who never let go of a grudge. Atakan’s people were known as the iron first of the Netherworld. The Ritacan Clan has long suffered under his bloodlines relentless rule. Kassandra wanted revenge. Insolent girl.
Atakan sat upon his throne of bones, drinking from an emerald encrusted gourd. He beckoned towards the brown nosing General Kerilo. Kerilo gingerly approached, painfully aware of his masters irritable personality. Atakan had been crossed, not the best time to be at his service. “General, how do you suppose I deal with scum in the camp’s garden?” Atakan asked leisurely, taking up a friendly tone with his subordinate. “Why we trap them alive sir,” General Kerilo replied, slightly smirking at this simple query. He assumed Atakan would be far more upset after the Kassandra debacle. Atakan caught a glimpse of Kerilo’s grin and began to laugh. A rumble slowly building at the pit of his stomach growing into a fully bloomed guffaw that echoed throughout the camp.
Suddenly, Atakan seized Kerilo by his collar and brought his face inches away from the petrified general. “I want you to rid of the scum plaguing my region,” he whispered, threateningly quiet. “Sorry sir? I—,” replied the trembling general, close to tears at this sudden outburst. “Hunt down the traitor, and bring them back to me alive.” Atakan cut off the weeping Kerilo…
Kassandra was dead before sunrise.
Hidden underneath the covers, our breathing pattern fell perfectly in sync. A silent heaving for air as we heard the stealthy footsteps gliding across the corridor. “Is he gone?” I mouthed. Elio silently signalled for me to be quiet and began the treacherous journey towards the mouth of the room. Dropping to the floor a la James Bond, Elio sprawled out and began to, for lack of a better word, wriggle to ensure we weren’t being observed. I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, his tall, skeleton like body looked almost comical against the mahogany hard wood flooring.
Swallowing the giggle, I motioned wildly towards the window. Elio seemed bewildered at my panic, his curly hair rustled as his head whipped round. I had seen a matron patrolling outside the camp. Admittedly, the rules were slightly childish but had been reinforced with the utmost care. There were to be no boys in the girls dormitory after eight in the evening, not even family. Full stop. Regrettably, Elio and I had been studying for Chemistry and ‘lost track of time.’ God I’m such an idiot, that’s the best excuse I could come up with? Either way, there he was, slumped behind my desk, attempting to conceal himself from any authority walking nearby. I had folded up my abnormally long limbs in order to fit inside a cupboard. Clearly I wasn’t thinking rationally, there was no need for me to hide, this was my dormitory. Time leisurely ticked by as an intense pins and needles took over my entire body. Finally, the hard faced matrons and ruthless dormitory guards receded and Elio gingerly emerged from the desk. I unfolded my body and collapsed onto the bed. Elio lay beside me, our fingers briefly making contact. At this point, I had the urge to burst into laughter, the situation seemed so absurd! Me, the most rule centred girl having a boy over after hours, not even for an interesting reason either! I erupted into silent guffaws as Elio sat up and gave me a quizzical look. “Sorry—It’s just that,” I managed in between snickers. “Maryam shut up! They’ll hear you…” Elio whisper shouted. “It’s just I never anticipated I’d be breaking this rule out of all people! With you no less,” I explained quietly. Elio looked slightly taken aback but sheepishly brushed aside a loose hair. “Well I’m sort of glad this is happening,” Elio mentioned under his breath. “Wait what? Elio— what’s that supposed to mean? You’re happy to be revising chemistry with me?” I laughed at this unimaginable prospect. “I’m not unhappy about it. I’m just sort of happy that we’re… here now,” Elio moved closer to me as he began to formulate his next words. On one hand I had absolutely no clue what he was getting at. Yet, on the other I knew exactly what I hoped he was getting at. That may sound slightly nonsensical and before I had a chance to process Elio continued. “I get to stay here the night… with you, together and that’s something I’ve wanted to do— well one of the things,” Elio’s sentences seemed stumbled as he tripped over his words. Taking a chance, I began to move closer towards him. We were now a few centimetres apart. Moving towards his ear, I whispered “What other things do you want to do with me,” Looking back now, this sounds like an innocent middle school love, yet it felt… different. Elio travelled the last few centimetres towards me as our faces collided in an act of love and sin.
Guilt washed across his face. I grimaced as he retreated to the other side of the bed. Clearly I was a horrendous kisser. Moving slowly towards him, I asked quietly. “Was that ok? I mean I haven’t had practice and I’m sorry that’s probably the worst—“ Blubbering like a madman, Elio held my face in his hands and once again, we connected. Yet it didn’t feel complete. A feeling of wrong doing lingered in the air.
As the full moon shined bright, two long bodies can be seen from the window, colliding against each other, salvaging every ounce of love. Sinful skeleton sex.
“YOU FUCKING IDIOT!” Loathing screamed “WHY DIDN’T YOU REHEARSE?!” Guilt looked down at her feet sheepishly, wondering whether it would be possible to let the ground swallow her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise—“ Guilt started “No, I don’t want to hear it, you’re on probation,” Loathing interrupted, advancing towards the dreaded button. “No please, Loathing I didn’t mean it,” Guilt pleaded, kneeling at Loathing’s feet “Oh my god you’re so embarrassing,” Disgust interjected “Guys can we please focus! Jenna still has to deliver the speech and the dials are almost at mental breakdown!” Calm soothed the wild Emoteople.
Jenna twiddled her thumbs, beads of sweat pouring like rain from her forehead, palms clammy and neck drier than the Sahara. Mr Evangeli, her boss, seemed to be moving in slow motion, gesturing towards her. Subconsciously, she began to move towards him as he beckoned her over to the podium
“SHIT, THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING,” Panic began to stop drop and roll in a decidedly tucked position. She was sprawled and flailing, limbs protruding rather comically from her writhing body. “I know! I can’t wait,” Excitement giggled and chortled like a toddler.
By this time, the Emotentre had become completely overcrowded and the MMS ( Mind Main System ) had begun to move into the breakdown zone. Calm pushed Emoteople aside, sprinting towards the override button. Rather unexpectedly, the hub received a notification there was an error with the lungs and breathing had become laboured.
Jenna began to feel incredibly faint, stumbling slightly as she continued towards that dreaded wooden stand.
In the nick of time, Clam reached the override station and without stopping to catch her breath, collided against it.
Jenna began to see double, feeling her body gradually begin to shut down. Her legs felts like jelly, disintegrating underneath her as she entered into a nirvana like slumber.
The Emoteople began to evacuate, barrelled off into the pods and sent to be exhaled. Calm panted, slumping against the wall as Loathings shouts became fainter and fainter.
Where he once sat Laughing at Desmonds reruns Volume at max, grainy 90s footage But it’s enough
Where he once ate Hands trembling, Parkinson’s is no joke The cancer was eating his cheeks up He still had his sandwich though
Where he once slept Tossing and turning, sleep apnea unrelenting Snoring like a sort of elephant At least he could rest
Where he once walked Through the small garden Pacing back and forth in the confined space His hydrangeas were wonderful though
Now be no longer walks Cannot eat or sit in that chair As for sleep, he is in an eternal rest And I’m left with only a hole in my heart Dreadful silence
Sprawled across the sofa IKEA alarm clock, repetitive ticking The paper stared back at him Still blank
Gnawing at the stubby pencil Teeth marks engraved into the wood Mangled and almost useless Mind empty
Perhaps a simple sonnet But to who or what? He should call her, for inspiration Distractions
He paces around the room Slumps over on a chair, foot hanging Fiddles with fingers Still nothing
If only inspiration was as a stream A constant flow of ideas How simple life would be But a dream
He weeps in fury No quick! Save those passionate tears Perhaps my sadness will produce greatness For my readers
Water isn’t blue I know from the tears Whatever you’ve learnt to draw in second grade is wrong Another way the education system failed you
Banks don’t play fair I know from the money I’ve lost ‘Sorry, you’ve been late for your payment’ Little did they know I needed that extra thousand for the hospital bills
Bribes never work I know from my dead family I gave them the money but they still… It’s my fault, what did I expect, they’d play fair? Gullible.
An apple a day won’t keep the doctor away I know from my dead father One Granny Smith a day and still managed to get cancer Probably should’ve ate Gala instead
Water isn’t blue I know from the tears Whatever you’ve learnt to draw in second grade is wrong Another way the education system failed you
Banks don’t play fair I know from the money I’ve lost ‘Sorry, you’ve been late for your payment’ Little did they know I needed that extra thousand for the hospital bills
Bribes never work I know from my dead family I gave them the money but they still… It’s my fault, what did I expect, they’d play fair? Gullible.
An apple a day won’t keep the doctor away I know from my dead father One Granny Smith a day and still managed to get cancer Probably should’ve ate Gala instead
‘Wonderful, count to three and breathe in’ her voice extended a hand and led me towards a place of rest. My galloping heart began to slow down, thumping periodically. Slowly, my mind travelled to the sanctuary I had been struggling towards for years. Breathe in. I could see calm on the horizons. Breathe out. The gruelling sessions were working. Breathe in. Insufferable trauma digging, so called coming to terms with my past had just resurfaced night terrors. Breathe out. Maybe it was worth it… waking up in cold sweats every night. Conscious of my breathing, I began to elevate to a higher plane of existence. Where my mind was no longer plagued by panic attacks and I could be at ease. Perhaps I would stay here for eternity. Never coming down. Cloud nine? No, this was far better. I was above the clouds.
‘Elio?’ her voice cut through like a knife ‘the session is over,’ ‘Right, uh I think I’ve payed for a couple sessions in advance so I should be covered,’ I quickly snapped out of this nirvana.
Good things never last long.
