The first thing I saw was her eyes, hills and valleys hidden under her pupil’s reflections, genuine joy behind her smile. Her hair and skin and body soft and smooth. Her stature no different from statues and carvings of any other beautiful woman.

Still, she was different from anyone I’ve ever seen.

She was my antidote, my cure.

What I didn’t see was the bags under her eyes, the bones protruding from her chest, her hips and her shoulders. Her eyes were consumed, soul lusting for terrible things.

In her eyes I saw a reflection of my own strengths, blinding me to what was behind them. I looked for what I wanted. I looked for what I lacked.

She crippled me, stole my pride, my strength and my armor. She bit into me with her fangs and worst of all I let it happen.

She was full of poisons.

I thought I could steal her confidence but instead she stole my life.