Poem 12

Emerald eyes slipped

Away and closed, never

Opening again after that.

I slipped past the crack

Of the doorway my paws

Were firmly planted at.

Another corpse of a human,

Blood pooling below and

Staining aged wood as red

Dripped below the floorboards.

I stepped closer to the body,

Nosing away strands of

Midnight silk to find a hole

Driven into the still-warm

Skin of the human's neck.

I swallowed the urge to

Bare my teeth-- deja vu

Swarming my red vision.

There was one killer

Between the two fallen

Humans, undoubtedly.

I could sense it.

...

My ears flattened

Without warning

As everyone ran

Into the room.

Line of vision focused

On the hole in the floor,

I dashed to the back

Corner of the room whilst

Ducking under candlelight.

Beneath the floorboards,

I discovered a sharp object

And two pools of blood--

One dry and one wet.

My eyes flashed, a

Daunting chill ripping

A shudder through my

Weary bones. I was right.

There was a bright beacon

Of light above that streaked

Moondust through the floor.

Shuffling sounded overhead

As the humans spoke in their

Cryptic language, the obscured

Sound breaching a heavy weight

That fell through hoarse throats.

...

I waited until the light was no

Longer cascading down upon

Timeless blood and glinting silver.

My pawsteps carried me away

Alongside uneven breaths as

The gray-eyed and red-eyed

Humans dropped down with

A glow of fading candlelight.

I clawed my way up the

Hole again with a steady

Rhythm, ruffled fur

Matching with the

Tides of my breathing.

A great amount of

Restless fervor resided

Within my steadfast

Heart as it bled with

Earnest. This emotion

Left me twisted and

Tied into knots of

Bashful resilience.

I wanted to help them.

...

My thoughts reeled

As I flinched at my

Own foolishness.

They are humans, all

Reckless and brutal...

But they are an acceptance.

Somehow that truth both

Frightens and intrigues me.

Not every human has

Anger filling their every

Step, word, and fists.

The first human I

Befriended here, so

Warm and breathing

Violet like a meadow.

Perhaps he could

Become my owner?

After all--

I trust him with my life.

...

Blood dripped like

A harsh rainstead

Savoring the forest

Ground as it caved

Through bleak winds.

The violet-eyed human

Was laying face down

On the floor, his gaze

Hidden and dark hair

Splayed out, matted

With fresh blood.

I didn't acknowledge

The footsteps and

Gasps I heard from

Behind me, limbs stiff.

The stars would be

Painted black tonight.

There was no way. No.

I never had the chance to--

My trusted human friend's

Head lifted as he trembled,

Still managing to force a

Withering smile on his face,

Eyes screwed tightly shut.

"It's a lie!"

He heaved himself up

On unsteady legs.

Frustrated voices

Sounded behind me,

Muddled through my

Stone, quivering body.

...

I watched him stumble

Forward before snapping

Out of my horrified state.

He chuckled with a

Faulty, wobbling grin.

"Did I surprise you?

Were you gonna scream

And cry in terror?"

Blood reaped the air

From his head wound.

The bear's voice rang shrill

From somewhere above me,

Wildly cruel and ignorant.

I rushed forward as the

Human looked at me and

Was quick to freeze, sharply

Taking a weakened breath.

"Lavender…"

His eyes grew wide as he

Gave a wince, shoulders

Caving in on themselves.

Guilt ceased his demeanor,

As fickle as the frown

Tracing his pale skin and

Regretful eyes that became

Masked whenever other

Humans were around him.

He dropped to his knees

Like a stone in dark water,

Moonlit red aligning the

Rough and cool surface.

I wilted like a frail petal

Drowning in that water,

Paws resting on his knees

And chin tilting to nose at

Blood-stained skin akin to

A willow mourning the

Leaves of late autumn.

Overgrown and barren still.

♡

Character Key (Based on Eye Color):

Gray- Shuichi

Red- Maki

Violet- Kokichi