There she stood, amid the lights and chaos and sound; her perfect figure defined by the light. The stunning red dress flattered her curved form, flowing off her hips and dancing to the ground. Her mysterious dark eyes seemed to smile sadly, complementing her chocolate colored skin.
A curious melody filled the room; odd yet beautiful; strange and unique. The first note crossed her lips and rang clearly through the night, followed by a second, and finally a third. She smiled; satisfied as she seemed to let herself go; forgetting the hurt, the need to fight back tears.
She rested her hand on her hip, as if daring someone to challenge her. With a knowing smile, she continued to sing, taking command of the stage; mesmerizing the audience. And the song played on, so lonely yet captivating, so deeply sincere, just as the astounding beauty performing it.
~~Downward Spiral~~ She ran a few steps, then slowed to a tired jog, her chest heaving with each labored breath. A couple more and she could not bring herself to move any further. Leaning against the brick wall of the alleyway, she gasped for air; the cloak of night providing her momentary protection. Her legs ached. Her chest burned. She felt as if she had been running for days. In a heap, she collapsed to the ground beside a filthy crate that told of rotting leftover food. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she felt safe. Allowing her exhausted eyelids to slowly droop shut, she felt herself drifting off to sleep--a feeling she had not enjoyed in months. It did not last long. The silence was shattered with a crash nearby. Then silence again. Then there it was--the very source of all her torture. There, looming over her, in all of its repulsiveness, was the very silhouette of all that frightened her. The cause of her angst, her depression, her fear, her words never spoken, her strength, now stood before her, grinning an evil smile. It came to take her; to avenge itself. It lowered its long neck, tearing her to shreds without a sound. Then, as if nothing had happened, it extended its enormous black wings and soared off into the distance, in search of another victim. *this story is metaphorically speaking about what can happen to you if you keep all of your feelings and emotions inside. ~~Cat Eyes~~ She guided her small black Wrangler down the deserted city street, her only light that of her tiny, incompetent headlights--mere candles in comparison to the thick blanket of night. He had been missing for days now and she was nearly hysterical. She frantically searched in every corner, every shadow, scouring the area. She had to find him before it became too late. Not far away, it watched her, furtively peering at her with narrow eyes from the window of an abandoned bagel shop. Its dirty face contorted into a sly grin, which eventually became a dry, raspy cackle. It laughed. With a slight shrug, it dropped to the ground from the ledge it had been resting upon, and crawled off in pursuit. ~~Her Place~~ A golden shaft of sunlight penetrated the thick cover of trees, warming the damp carpet of green grass about her. The gentle daylight felt good against her cool skin, as she sensed the wet of the morning dew slowly beginning to fade away. She never wanted to leave this place. It belonged to her, the one place in her world where she could find calm, take refuge. Somewhere above her, a tiny bird chirped its morning hymn, as the chestnut squirrels scurried about carrying on their daily routines. She hummed a lonely melody as she dreamt of a life the was not hers, a life that never could be. "My love rests here, ~~A Loss for Words~~ The dismal gray sky seemed to laugh at her mockingly as she studied the raindrops that trickled clumsily down her bedroom window. Dumb old rain, she thought angrly to herself. Well, you're not going to stop me this time. She got up from the window and hurried to the front door of the house, not even bothering to look for any type of coat. Closing the heavy white door behind her, she shuffled down the three cement steps and onto the slippery stone path leading to the drive. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, feeling the cold ran splash her face, slipping off her cheeks and into her wild dark hair. She lingered there for just another moment, enjoying the freshness of the water, chilly as it was, and then gradually began making her way toward the driveway. -- The walk to the bridge was not a terribly long one, but between the growing storm around her as well as the increasing turmoil within, it was quite a while before she arrived just the same. She stood there quietly, leaning over the waist-high barrier and peering doubtfully into the gloomy face of the river nearly twenty feet below. So this is where it all happened, she whispered to herself. The river took them prisoner. They never had a chance. She watched as a lone tear fell sorrowfully from the tip of her nose, down into the dim shadows below. She sighed deeply and sunk to her knees on the narrow sidewalk, resting her head against the cold cement of the barrier. -- She wasn't aware of how long she had lain there weeping, but when she rose to leave she found that the sky had indeed grown heavier and that the wind now seemed to howl and moan with every blow. She stood to her tired feet, ignoring the sopping wet clothing that clung to her skin, and cast one more mournful glance at the unusually calm waters, noticing as she did, something out of the corner of her eye that struck her as odd. Turning to investigate what had caught her attention, she discovered a single crimson colored rose peeking out from a small crack in the sidewalk. She stooped to pick it up, finding it surprisingly still intact, and held it gingerly in front of her face. Kissing each petal softly, she began to drop them one by one into the placid water, becoming all the more conscious of the empty feeling she was left with, as well as the wave of memories that flooded her. "I'll miss you," she sobbed, almost unable to form the words, as she clutched the last petal to her heart, not wanting to let it go. But at long last, she slowly pressed the beautiful red petal gently to her lips and drew a long, deep breath as she watched it flutter slowly downward, until it became visible no more. ~~Powerful Thought~~ She stumbled down the lonely deserted street, the blistering sun beating down on the back of her neck like countless knives pricking her raw, exposed skin. Her vision was blurred and she felt faint, but she knew none of this mattered. Nothing did anymore. She had to get away. She needed someplace where they would not find her. Somewhere so discreet, so concealed, that no one would think as to search for her there. And she was willing to take any means of getting there, as long as there was the promise that she should not return. Not here. Not now. Not ever. The heat made her dizzy and her thoughts swirled around each other, sometimes blending together, sometimes taking on a life of their own, always joining in a desperate attempt to restrain her, to make sure she did not leave. After all, if she were to leave, she would not need them any longer. She would be out of their reach and they would be unable to harm her. She fell to her bruised knees, the sweltering heat suffocating her, wrapping around her like a warm blanket on a stifling summer night. She could not move. She could not think. She fell subject to her malicious thoughts leading to nothing but her demise; they'd gotten the best of her.
my place, my home.
Sleep never tires,
Golden hues smile,
The rain dances with me,
The wind calls my name
Here,
my home place."
