#( hope it turned out right hvdks even if it took me ages aye )

[clericlost-a]

@hotgrove  / asked WILL  :  “ what did you want to show me? ”

STOMACH WRITHES SLOW TO KNOTTED PIT ,  nails pinching crescents along palms sweat-slick as one merely hovers ,  caught in place  (  BETWEEN WORLDS  )  with mind whiteboard blank swung somewhere far above his shoulders .  give pause ,  reconsider  RESOLVE  clumped in the back of closed throat ,  freezer burn phlegm swallowed down to stiffened lung ,  &  ease .  breathe ,  in / out / in through the nose until shoulders  LOOSEN ,  straighten concave spine  &  grip shirt hem with emboldened fingers .

he lifts only high enough to  SEE ,  bare minimum  &  sustained long enough to take note  &  not a second more ;  flesh turned pink ,  light ,  SCAR TISSUE  sheen stretched short over ribcage span   ——  re-covered ,  hands returning to anxious fist at his sides .  ❝  ... Nancy Wheeler gave this to me with a  FIRE  poker ,  ❞  rushed ,  minute waver soothed with short exhale intermission ,  ❝  i-i don’t really remember it because i was  ——  i was like  YOU  were ,  before ...  &  he likes it cold ,  so  ——  ❞  voice tapers off like smoke through weakened clutch backtrack ,  why did you come here ,  do this ,  say this ?  a thick ,  heavy thing to carry ,  this  SICKNESS  even in aftermath ,  bodysnatched  &  hung out to dry insides inside out  &  folded back again ;  for  YOU  or for him ?  INCONCLUSIVE ,  he continues on all the same .  ❝  i’m sorry .  that we couldn’t  ——  BURN  it out sooner .  ❞