Just A Normal Day

My muscles ache from sitting in the same spot for hours. 

Type type typing away at the keyboard. 

The air is a different kind of frigid today.

Your face is still buried deep within the sheets.

I tiptoe and rub your side with expressions of concern.

You shift. You mumble. You're fine.

I tiptoe back out of the freezing room. 

Hours later. Long work day.

You're up. You mumble. Something's wrong.

Internally I recite to myself how I won't do this with you today.

No moodiness. No fighting. No isolation. 

You set the box on the table. It's beautiful.

I notice some writing on it. All it takes is to see it.

The sixteenth letter. 

All of my blood cells rush to my feet.

I feel faint. I feel sick. I feel ...confused.

The silence between us is so loud.

My begging eyes. My screaming tears.

The sadness that crosses your face spoke volumes. 

You want the key to the box. 

I don't want to give it to you.

My heart skips beats. I need a drink. What do I do?

You break the silence. "I need this."

My brain yells "NO!"

"Don't do this!"

"Not now!"

"Not today!"

"I need more time!"

But my lips parted and "Ok, let me find it" slipped out.

I had lead for feet as I went to the safe.

I couldn't hear anything but the cracking of my heart.

The pieces fell to my stomach, dissolving in its acid.
I would kneel before the porcelain gods eventually.
Dig through the contents of my stomach,
hoping to find all the pieces of my heart.

I knelt before the safe, wishing this was a dream.

Wishing you would run in to stop me.

Wishing you wanted to stop me.

Wishing you never asked for the key. 

L-O-V-E

The combination to the safe. 

The key.

The key to the box on the coffee table.

It weighed a million tons but somehow I was able to carry it.

I pleaded. 

"Don't open the box. Please."

The pain in your eyes was all I needed.

You wanted to open the box.

You needed to open the box.

It was inevitable in your eyes. 

You had asked for the key before.

"I will do better. I can be better. Just don't open the box."

You wiped my tears and kissed my cheek.

"It's for the best. You will understand one day."

You traced each letter on the box.

P-A-N-D-O-R-A

Embraced me once more and put the key into the lock. 

Everything went black.

By Mistyprest