Short Stories

All Is Soft Inside

"All that I know
Lies within emotion
Words remain unspoken
Lead me through the dark"

their eyes are glowing, white hot and piercing.

i feel them on me as i stand in their midst, a blue rose among thorns.

my head is held still, mouth set in an emotionless line of storm clouds.

eyes blank and clear like contact lenses.

posture unworried and uncaring. shoulders down, fingers curling casually towards palms.

blinking slowly to induce trust.

all around is stone.

all is soft inside.

i stand in their midst, a fragile blue rose running with tears like rivers, thorns stained red with my blood.

my head is straining to be still and silent, mouth pressed into a tight line of storm clouds to stay my lips from trembling.

eyes blank with clear film glistening in the grooves worn down by cascading trickles of sorrow.

posture quivering to remain upright, spine aching, shoulders strenuously set back to keep from caving in and collapsing, fingers curling incrementally towards the safety of a fist.

blinking desperately against the choking weight of tears.

if only they knew.

if only they knew.