Just Ghosts

She smiles softly when he leans down and presses his forehead to hers. “I know,” she says. She kisses him, then pulls away, just enough so that she can see his face. She brushes her thumb along his cheekbone, smoothing down some wild hairs in his beard.

"I know." He echoes her previous sentiment, sighing softly as he absently plays with a stray curl near her cheek. This was like playing with a match in front of a bundle of dynamite. It wasn't a matter of if something was going to go wrong, but when.

"I've already told 'em it's a bad idea, but they ain't exactly interested in listenin' to me." Dutch of course assured him that it would all work out, that it would all go according to plan. But when was the last time that was actually the case?

from here!

Funny how perspectives for people could be so vastly different. Whereas the man beside him wanted to be a simple part of the world rather than a definitive symbol that would be remembered by all, his personal goals had been far loftier. Standing at different ends of the spectrum and yet...

.... and yet, there they stood at the exact same spot, nearly the same position, if not guided by entirely different circumstances. The world certainly worked in funny ways. Whatever the lesson was, he didn't yet know it either.

He looked to the man beside him, roughed up by the cruelty of the world. He could see wisdom in his eyes, though he appeared a man of few words. Zack was still a young man, severed away from what had once guided him. He had the scars to prove his survival, but what did it mean to move forward?

He smiled at the reciprocated question, lowering his head, closing his eyes against the strain of the world. "I don't know any more either." What had been a sure thing was no longer the case.

"Dreams?" Arthur asks, an upward lilt in his voice. "Never really had time to sit down and think about those." This did stir a curiosity in him though. What could a man like him truly dream of? Death and destruction? No, that sounded a bit too close to his day to day now.

He rubs his chin, perhaps thinking more about this theoretical than he should be. "I s'pose my dreams are quiet. A quiet place, quiet life. No more wanderin' from place to place." It sounded underwhelming, but the idea sat warmly like a sunrise in his mind. That was what he really wanted.

"Seen a lotta places, lotta faces I don't remember. Guess in a way I just... wanna be nothin' but a shadow." The idea of becoming some legend didn't interest him. He'd met the sort, and they'd always been underwhelming.

‘ how about i take you home? ’

‘ who do you fight for? ’

‘ you can relax. we’re safe here.’ 

‘ are you threatening me? ’

‘ i told you to leave me out of this. ’

‘ i guess it runs in the family, huh? ’

‘ you’re leaving already? ’

‘ that sounds dangerous. i’m in!’ 

‘ what do you wish for? ’

‘ you look like you just saw a ghost.’ 

‘ don’t look at me like that. ’

‘ we can just sit here. we don’t have to talk.’ 

‘ you can’t get rid of me that easy. ’

‘ do you want something for the pain? ’

‘ can i have some cash? ’

‘ i know you’re dangerous, but i also know you won’t hurt me.’ 

‘ that’s quite a scratch you’ve got there.’ 

‘ when was the last time you slept? ’

‘ i know who you are. i know what you’ve done. ’

‘ you’re being followed. pretend you know me.’ 

‘ you never should’ve left. ’

‘ i think i’m getting sick. ’

‘ snap out of it! ’

‘ yes i killed them, but i did it for you.’ 

‘ don’t treat me like a child. ’

‘ how does it feel to be in love? ’

‘ surprised to run into you here. ’

‘ how many people have you killed? ’

‘ i didn’t want to come, but i need your help. ’

been playing a lot of red dead lately

the following prompts were taken from the novel deathless by catherynne m. valente, an american novelist & poet. the novel was loosely based on the tale of koschei the deathless, incorporating other elements of russian mythology, & setting it against the backdrop of the russian revolution. feel free to change the pronouns / prompts as you see fit, but be warned – below the cut, it’s quite long !

❛ the service of your body is not yours to give as you please. ❜

❛ you probably won’t survive. ❜

❛ go. run. don’t look behind you. ❜

❛ i have come for the girl in the window. ❜

❛ i will never be without information. ❜

❛ i will see him with his skin off before i fall in love. ❜

❛ if the world is divided into seeing & not seeing, i will always choose to see. ❜

❛ secrets are jealous things, permitting no fraternization. ❜

❛ no, it’s not like that, when magic comes. ❜

❛ magic does that. it wastes you away. once it grips you by the ear, the world gets quieter & quieter until you can hardly hear it at all. ❜

❛ the sight of it bruised my heart so that i cannot think about anything else. ❜

❛ i’ll be so quiet, i’ll never talk again. ❜

❛ keep me & obey me, for i am your husband, & i can destroy you. ❜

❛ i shall be clever, & i shall not let him go. ❜

❛ it is a new world, & we do not wish to be left behind. ❜

Dear Fellow Traveller // Sea Wolf

Dear fellow traveler

Under the moon

I think I’m growing weary and I’m hoping you’ll come soon

And if I see you, in clean new clothes

poem 1 - wild geese, mary oliver quote 2 - she is made of chalk, l.m. dorsey