Love thy demon

Love the demon within you

A darkened cave
Is all I see
The floor is moist
Cold hard rock
My arms are shackled
Cuffs tearing
Pain is searing
Bare naked
Vulnerable and exposed
He walks forward
A faceless figure
Never will I recall his face
For only through a mirror
Can one see his own face

“Welcome back
You worthless scum”
A voice so calm
Piercing to the bone
“Did you really think
That your life made a difference”
Laughter of mockery
A thunderous slap
Red hot pain
Seeping through my cheek
“How many times
Have I told you
No one “
A punch to the gut
“Will notice”
A punch to the chest
“Your absence”
And a final punch to the groin

Two flashes of silver
Cold sharp steel
Glinting in its own light
“Death is a luxury to you
And I’ll make sure
That you beg for it “
I was his canvas
His palette blood red
No curved strokes
Only straight strokes
On the wrists
On the chest
On places left unnoticed
And as a final touch
The canvas was punctured

“Keep this in your head
The best gift
That you can give
To everyone around you
Is your death”
Were the last words
That entered my ear
As a loud bang
Filled the room
And a bullet of lead
Filled my head

’twas not the end of it
My eyes open
And I’m back where I was
A fresh canvas
Only this time
A fresh grill
As he comes back
With burning iron
Death is a luxury
That i shall have to beg for.
Screams echoed
And then it was over

The next day came
And so, did he
Faceless
Relentless
Merciless
Brass glinted
Knuckles clenched
As he walked freely
A gift that I missed

“Look what you did
You gave everything
Every drop of what you had
For one person”
Brass met flesh
“They don’t need
Your support
Your time
Your effort”
“They”
Brass to the head
“Are better off”
Brass to the chest
“Without you”
Again and again
Until the flesh
Was tender as
A newborn child

“I understand you”
A tiny voice
Squeaked
The sound a novelty
In the harsh dungeon
My mouth dared
To say three words
No response
Was heard

“I know that
You care
Enough to show up
Everyday nonstop”
My bravery was idiotic
But the worst outcome
Was a luxury to me
“Only one
Can care so much
And I love you”

The shadow over his face
Slowly faded
And I stared at myself
Tears fell from his eyes
His mask of shadows
Fallen to the ground
Brass tinkled as it fell

“I just don’t want
To see you get hurt
Over and over again
By giving so much”
A warm tender voice
Replaced the
The piercing cold voice

“I know now,
And it’s all right
Love will hurt
That is a constant
But I need you
When things fall apart
To remind me
To take a moment
To love you
So I can love myself”
I whispered
As he came forward

“I have always wanted
not to hurt you
but to have
a faint trickle of your love”
The words were lost
In streams of tears
And a warm embrace
The dungeon was no more.
For a place of torture
Was no longer needed
To ask yourself
For a moment
To love yourself