Purple

As if yawning, the tree against his back stretched out its lazy arms toward the sky. The sun's fading, violet light skimmed through the branches and shimmered on his sandy eyelashes.



She will finally admit to him that all she needed was a second.


The exquisiteness of this moment captured his senses, made his heart gallop in his chest and blood flood past his ears breathlessly. Maybe without her, he could live again. A flash of pain tore into his lungs and a gasp followed. Just the thought sickened him; perhaps he could not.


“A phantom of the past…” Words floated in the breeze, sang with the leaves in their ever-changing melody.


“I will be with you at last…” A poem. Smooth, fluid, yet shattering the silence, he continued.


Oh, that tree. She imagined her palms pressed against its steady surface, his hands resting upon her waist…


“Mark after mark…” Golden sunlight glanced off the silver of the blade held between his fingers. A smile felt its way across his mouth. Those branches swayed with gentleness so divine… and he swam in this moment; embraced it.


Her lips finding his…


“I will follow you into the dark…” Carefully, he lifted the tip of the knife to the tender flesh of his forearm; rested it there. It balanced as if it meant to relax there among veins.


But that second had always been betrayed of her, and in desperation, she fled.


Tip pointed to his fingers, eyes raised to the purple sky, back against the hard crunch of bark and legs stretched in the tall grass, he let a sting as sharp as loss itself cut through him. Serene screams pulsated against the lobes of his ears. He pressed yet harder upon the blade and pulled toward him. Life leaked from the wide open vein; poured forth recklessly.


“Beauty, oh, beauty…” He whispered at last. Maroon clawed into his t-shirt, but the pain made everything so much more glorious.


Neither her love, nor her heart had ever stopped beating.


The leaves whispered secrets he had never known; could never speak of. Fingertips of wheat waved a joyous goodbye and he felt the immense impulse to wave back. But, of course, did not.


The dreadful lie was a mistake. Perhaps he will forgive her… A mauve sunset glimmered and she smiled.


“My love, I will be with you at—“ Sharply choked, purple clouded his ocean-blue eyes and the sliver slipped from his fingers.


In silence, she stepped beneath the tree that was so well-known to her. The leaves now sparkled purple from the skies reflection. Her eyes widened, but no tears came as she lifted the bloody knife and curled into his crimson arms.