no Pain no Gain

Metallic.

As I gulp the gray poison from the cup I feel it seeping between my teeth and clawing its way down my throat.

Its cold flame soaks into my flesh,

it fills me.

But now I'm hungry.

Hungry for a target;

for a big, flashing sign to direct my searing breath.

And there you are

looking for me in the dark, reaching to take my hand.

But instead of my hand in yours, you feel my-its cold hand, pressed against your chest.

You push forward, confused, searching my face for an explanation,

a reason.

But there is none.

Your face contorts in agony as the cold, angry hand shoves through your ribs,

snapping ferociously for your beating heart.

I stare as this hand that is connected to my body as it pulls backwards and raises your bloody heart to my face.

I can't stop it now - as much as my brain is screaming at it.

You fall backwards in a heap, gasping in the cold dark.

I can still hear you in the distance as I find a quiet place to sit.

I raise the still-warm, gulping heart to my lips and take it in one bite.

As soon as it hits my stomach the cold poison seeps out of my body and I feel like myself again.

Looking around, I find myself alone as your breaths become softer and softer.

I wipe my bloodied fingers on my pants as I stand up and start walking in the opposite directon from where I can hear your lungs finally collapse and fade.

I walked for what seemed like days, weeks until I was hungry again.

Just when I thought I couldn't take the sharps spasms in my stomach an longer I saw a cup

placed on a table in the distance.

Suddenly, I tasted my dry, sore mouth and forced my heavy feet to move faster.

As I got closer I could see that the cup was filled with gray, muddy water,

but my parched lips parted as my hands grasped the cup.

Tipping it against my mouth, the bitter liquid splashed forward and down my throat.

My eyes widened in horror as the familiar metallic taste seeped through my teeth and I felt its cold rage grab me by the neck again.

Dropping the now empty cup, I look around for your face knowing you'll be running through the darkness soon,

looking for me,

only to be mangled and left in the cold, dark

the same dark that welcomes me, comforts me.