How can you stand,

When the monster inside,

Has left you damned,

And cast aside,

Those that would call you a friend,

So yeah, wrap your lips on the bottle,

It’s not a fiend, but your only friend,

The only one who says you are not ill,

So fuck it, drink the liquor,

It’ll mellow you quicker,

To a blissful slumber,

Where your twisted thoughts cannot encumber,

Those damned thoughts,

The ones that won’t piss off,

Memories of all those twisted things you wrought,

Oh please, oh please, shut them off,

More liquor!

Sweet liquor!

It is the best medicine!

Yeah... its the best medicine,

My eyes are heavy now,

And this medicine, my godsend,

So now I take a bow,

Its time this story ends.

It's warm breath reeks of whiskey, sweeping past its crooked teeth. The creature, with brown, bloodshot, eyes, is peering within mine. Nevermind its disheveled hair, writhing and contorting over sickly pale skin radiating in the dim light. It is a parasite. A demon. The death of my desires and vanquisher of my resolve.

My ignorant curiosity causes me to reach out and grasp the nauseating creature. To my bewilderment, its sickly skin is smooth. Far too smooth. Unconsciously, my hand pans over its glassy surface before I realize what I'm staring at, is my reflection. Tears fill my eyes as I grip the half-empty bottle tight. It's at this moment, that I've regained some sense of dignity, some sense of resolve. I hurl the brown bottle, shattering the glassy surface. Its razor shards rain down to the blackened floor. My head swivels as the world around brightens into a chorus of vivid color and, for the first time, I look upon the world through diamond eyes.

“Oh? And where are we,” I said smugly, with a wry smile, in a vain attempt to sound cool.

“Wherever we want to be,” She whispered, gently pressing her forehead to mine. “Close your eyes.”

The two of us were no longer in the dusty room nestled high above the bustling streets below. No, we were flying. Soaring far above the clouds with the radiant sun at our backs. It filled us with warmth. We locked our hands and gently swayed as a ship does in the deep blue sea. Then, we locked arms, gently wrapping each other in a warm embrace before tumbling to the dusty wooden floor. I opened my eyes and our sun-filled backdrop was no more. Instead, there was only her and her shimmering green eyes dancing in the low light. Entranced, all I could do was stare. A slave to her gaze.

Finally, I stammered, “A-are you alright,” Still staring intently into her eyes.

With crimson cheeks, she nodded with a warm smile. For a moment we stayed just like that, starring into each other’s eyes. Gently, she wrapped her arms around my back and pulled me in. Our lips touched and suddenly we were back amongst the clouds. Oh, the sight of it, even heavens gates would be ill to compare. The dazzling scene swirled into a fury as a loud ring cut through the air. I threw my hand to the side, knocking over a glass of warm whiskey. The glass shattered and it's contents sprawled out across the old wooden floor. The sun was stifling as it cut through the curtains dangling beside the bed. It’s rays only adding to the incessant throbbing in my head. I reached for the half-bottle, still on the nightstand, and took a long, deep, swig before throwing it back down.

I turned back to see an empty bed and the hollow remnants of a life once lived. It seemed so long ago now and yet, nothing could slate this feeling inside. This hollow emptiness pushing me further down a chasm. Further into the abyss. I still longed to have that life back. I took another long drink as I pressed my lips firmly against the bottle. At least some things help me forget. I planted my feet on the floor and forced myself up. My body swayed like a toddler learning its first steps. I stumbled across the room, dragging my led feet across the dust-covered floorboards. Suddenly the world around tossed and turned. Next thing I knew, I found myself on my back looking up, with the bottle still safe in hand. At least my medicine made it. Lying there, I took another swig before slumping into a haphazard heap. I dusted the broken shards from my tattered shirt as I looked to the broken frame still resting on the nightstand. Through the broken shards lining the frame, I could see a pale, grotesque, creature staring back at me. How did it get this way?

That auburn-haired girl had become my curse. I took one last swig before murmuring, “Ah, you are the reason.”

Alone, I sit in this dusted room,

Surrounded by not, but thoughts of gloom,

These frames paint a picture of a life lived long ago,

In them, these venomous thoughts, as I wallow,

Reaching for the medicine, I crave,

To it, I’ve become a slave,

Some say the water will put me in a hearse,

But that brown liquid is all I need to end this curse.

My eyes are burning red as I stare at the clock,

Another night lost in a myriad of thought,

Tossing and turning it won't shut off,

Watching the hours' tick tick tick off the clock,

Those wicked hands won't slow down,

Now I'm drowning in the darkness all around,

Giving weight to all these sickening thoughts,

It's too late now to sleep them off,

So with knees to elbows, I writhe,

Watching as time passes me by,

So now in the eleventh hour,

Which has become far too sour,

I drown the demons once again,

With all their whispers closing in,

Reminding me I'm alone,

With no place to call my home.