Salt

The cold tiles burned the warmth away, every step peeled at her skin, itched at her nervous system. She couldn't quite think straight. Mushy bones yelled at her to sit down, wriggly worms ticked at her lungs. Wheezing for every breath. Forcing the little air she could reach.

Thorns worn away every joint. The spiders crawling against her nack hairs whispered endless threats. Thump, thump, thump, hearts beat amongst his drums.

“Hey-He-Hey”

Salt stared at the man like a deer in headlights, beaming at her. Closer and closer. Her body screamed at her, frightened. The blue lights blared in her ears.

“Hi”, said all too stiff. All too soft. She could feel herself sliding, shifting away from the situation.

Eyes rolled, a smile tugged at his cheeks. Her heart fluttered maliciously. Wings thrashed against the cage. Hiccups and malfunctions, her machine parade fell to her feet. Any wall she put up against him shattered right there.

Her shell broken, yolk vulnerable against his mighty gaze.

Bomb stared at the slumped woman, sighed, and turned away. Clanks filled the room as he stirred his drink. “A-uh- uhm, d-did-di-d-d-did you want some t-tea?”

Salt stumbled into the kitchen, supporting herself with the counter as she walked. Her head spun, mixing his words into smoothies.

“Yes” he smiled at her and continued on. Spoke to her as he would to anyone.

Her stomach twisted and squeezed in on itself as he spoke. So casually. As if their history was washed away. She was just another person now. Nothing made her special to him anymore. Couldn't even sit and look back on anything. All the good, the bad. Like none of it happened to him.

Thorns scratched at her organs, huffing and panting as she blinked rapidly. Fighting the urge to bawl right then and there.

He gently pushed the mug closer to her, stuttering as he questioned her demeanor.

Salt bit the inside of her lip before hesitantly looking up to meet his gaze.

The damage peaked as she stared into his dark, beautiful eyes. The same ones she'd get lost in during the depths of the night, the ones she'd wake up to before the flowers woke up.