She fought for breath from the red hands.
Their grip bound to her neck
Her chest anchored
Her heart flooded with fear
Her breathing deeper — synchronizing
Sharing the pulse in those red hands
Black poison pours
Into her mouth — bitter
Clogs in her throat
She prays
Why can’t I breathe
Why is this happening
Just make this end soon
Her head throbbing — clouded
Thoughts block her concentration
She’s numb, silent
She pictures calm, cerulean oceans
Watching the waves unfurl
In and out of shore
Matching her breath,
Flowing smooth
Body frozen, eyes glazed
Sealed — steadying
Her breath, conflicted
She forces the tears
Wanting, embracing them
Drowning in their warmth
Feeling life upon her face
The unfamiliar touch
Pooled, muddy water
Streams of black streaks
Stain her marbled face
Washing away the panic
Steadying her breath — snapped
Out of the moment, released.
She accepted this fate
Reaching for the red hands — dissolved
Into her own — like sand
Sunk in her ocean.
Haley Jones is a 23-year-old living in Chattanooga, TN. Along with being a writer, she is also a musician. Like most everyone, she’s just trying to find where her passions fit best in this world. She just started a blog called Hales Jales, where she writes about food, beauty, life experiences, and much more! She lives for singing, writing, fall weather, her two cats, and driving around aimlessly. She believes that life is an adventure, and it’s short, so you should take advantage of the days you have before they slip through your fingers.
Natalie Chyi is an 18-year-old from Hong Kong who has recently moved to London, where she will be studying law for the next three years. She started photography to capture moments and pretty things/people/light/scenes as she sees them, and that idea is what continues to fuel all of her work. Find more of her work on nataliechyi.com, Facebook, or Tumblr.
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