I kept my eyes on her, never dared look away, let the tears fall down my cheeks so my ever loyal gaze could stay locked on her’s forever.
the world turned around us, that much I know; a blaze engulfed our house but nothing was real if she said otherwise so the ash crawled down my throat and I gagged up my heart in penitence.
in the summer, she said, “don’t eat, I’ll feed you.” though nothing she could gave me tastes anywhere as sweet or satisfying as the desire for freedom I inherited at birth.
perhaps I would have wasted away, been carried off by some kindly gust of wind, but I nailed lead to the soles of my shoes, decided that if I stayed on the ground at least the weight of my life was with me
not somewhere in the stratosphere where she could judge my soul next to the mass of a lifeless feather that she can cast away with the wave of her hand as easily as shouting down a co-equal.
from #6 of @avolitorial love prompts! - chey brabo
