. CROWHAZE .

made  up  of  cracked  cement   &   the  acrid  stench  bloody  ichor   –   these  streets  were  meant  for  shallow  souls  .   (   &   equally  terrifying  as  was  seedy . )    perhaps  ,   even  more  so  for  the  lost.   the  tired  ,   the  street - grown  .    there’s  no  comfort  here  ,   but  needed  familiarity  is  what  keeps  her  corner  sat ,   upper  half  slouched  over  fish-net  clad   &   scabbed  knees  .   her  mother’s  necklace  dangles  low ,   taps  atop  the  engagement  ring  worn  on  her  thumb  .  sickly  amusing  how  all  she’s  ever  cared  for   &  all  she’s  despised  had  left  the  bigger  pieces  of  themselves  in  jewelry .  body  drowned  in  ashen  silhouette ,   she  tugs  at  the  chain  of  faux-gold  until  the  skin  of  her  neck  feels  red   &   raw  .   a  conquered   hmmm   vibrates  past  cherry  stained  lips  ,  brought  forth  from  memories  both  equally  painful  &   fond .       @attritio  ! 

                            Cold asphalt, beaten and lifeless, a reflection of the City he once loved. Heavy boots made their way in the dark of the night. Not a sound, not a sight. In a daze, Eric found himself purged back into the realm of the living – once more. His direction unknown, reasons uncertain. He’d completed his mission long ago. Longer than he could guess. He’d been gone and life went on. He’d seen Shelly again, found peace by her side – a dream long gone, it seemed. Why now? Hazel eyes trailed behind a familiar feathery creature. It took flight from its former place and Eric followed.     ⊰ LET’S GO, KID ⊱      the bird cawed from above, and Eric broke into a free run. Gaze adapting to the crow’s again, the bird taking a dive into a street. Eric mirrored its actions, jumping onto an alleyway. Isolated, left to rot its in putrid existence. The bird had set its focus on a figure feet away, a young woman the former musician did not recognize - at first. An echo came crashing from his memory, triggered by the bird’s finding: an engagement ring, gold, Shelly’s. He could hear her laugh, Shelly’s and someone else’s… “Sarah?”