For a moment,
he was beautiful.
Dark hair slicked.
Sleeves rolled.
Then–
a monster.
Spit.
Light catching it
before it landed.
Once
I doubted myself.
Twice
my stomach dropped.
The third time
my body stood up.
I stopped.
His eyes–
Feral.
Rotting.
Angry at being seen.
Apologize.
The sound came first.
A crack.
Skin meeting hand.
Heat exploded across my face.
White everywhere.
No edges.
My body launched forward.
Hands hauling me back.
My mouth split open–
pouring out my innards.
Sharp.
Obscene.
Desperate.
He smiled.
They laughed.
I was a spectacle.
Blue lights.
Red lights.
Blue.
Red.
The world spinning
too fast.
Salt and water
pouring out of me.
Words drowning
before they reached air.
This poem was inspired by Discernment.
