Lirique's Catharisis

Part 1/3

Lirique quickly pulled her leather jacket off to assess the damage. As sunlight reflected off Lirique's jacket, a flash caught Sue Ellen's eye and a colorful artform was revealed on Lirique's side.

"Wow, Lirique! That's an impressive tattoo you got there, girl. How long have you been carrying that one?"

Lirique cracked a lopsided smile and remained quiet. Her lips separated slightly as they began to form a sound, but then she paused and looked Sue in the eyes.

I've had it less than two years, she replied.

It's amazing, Lirique. I've never seen anything like it. What kind of bird is it?

It's a rising phoenix. It's a symbol of rebirth.

Damn, that's tight. It's beautiful.

Thanks. It marks a chapter in my life. Basically a mask for a mark. A passion mark.

Hmmm?

Lirique smiled devilishly. I'm being a little silly. Forgive me. But, nah, in all seriousness, it was a passion mark. A bite mark placed on me by a man I once loved. It was a complicated relationship to say the least. We were together for a decade. A bittersweet romance. We would give each other life and then take it away. That was the vicious cycle. Out arguments became fights and the fights later became physical. It was a volatile romance. We loved deeply and we feared just as deeply. Jealousy, paranoia, insecurity, violence, despair, it was horrible.

Life is never going to be exactly what you want it to be. It is what it is. Life is too short to be traveling through carrying the heavy burden of worry...