It was all you could see when you walked closer, towering over you and me.
Calm and determined, you had arrived.
Closer you came.
I watched through the crack formed by lonesome apathy.
Your brown iris met my blue.
I backed away.
Closer, you came.
Invaded.
My back pressed against the wall, I watched my toes flex.
The last one hadn’t made it this far.
Light illuminated my bare feet.
A small hole chipped by the one who came before.
I hesitated as you sang.
The one who came before sang softer.
The louder your words grew, the tighter I clutched the key in my pocket.
The song stopped.
I panicked, pulled out the key.
I slid it under slowly and peaked through.
Your eyes did not meet mine.
Instead, your eyes met stone.
It took you a moment before you saw the key.
It’s rusted, battered metal.
You grabbed it.
I watched you take in the expanse between us again, key in hand.
Intrigue shifted to anticipation, anticipation to hesitation.
Our eyes met again.
Sadness I think, as you slid the key back to me.
collective musings 