the Tower

I walled myself in.

Again.

I crawled into the tower and

Dropped.

the key.

Watched it.

slip off.

the edge of the window

And thud to the ground.

I was starving myself. and

Giving her exactly.

What.

she

Deserved.

her ravishment is all that i have known—

she became the breather of fire i was attempting to

Escape

And the rage.

i was hoping to snuff out

Grew

Into.

my nostrils

Into. my eyes

Into. my fingertips

and all the lies,

flamed whispers,

slithered.

their way onto my tongue.

Until they danced their way into

A Song,

that I recognized as

Something true.

Something truer than the truth:

Doom.

she wrapped her mouth around it,

it turned to ash,

then a gray dark paste,

then a dull black jewel—

crooked and cruel.

it cut its way into

her stomach,

then dug itself into—

the weakest

chamber.

until she began to choke.

And.

i began to bang.

my feet against

The wall.

In my tall,

Cold

Tower.

where i became the monster—

the only fire-breather.

i have ever known

who can survive such hunger.

who can swallow

such Doom.