Smoke Curling Through The Air

by, Cassandra

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“Perfection, darlin’,” she whispers, smoke curling through the air.

I freeze. I freeze. I freeze… for a moment. Time stands still. Time stands still. Time stands still… but only for a moment.

She takes another drag, her eyes flashing dirty gray. “You told the perfect lie,” she whispers, smoke curling through the air.

I try to turn. I try to turn. I try to turn… and I fail. I try to speak. I try to speak. I try to speak… and I succeed. “You’re not supposed to be here,” I say, my voice an eerie echo in the air.

She laughs. She laughs. She laughs… and I cringe. The icy cold fingers trace down my arm, leaving goose-bumps in their wake. “I’m only here because you’re here,” she whispers, smoke curling through the air.

I shudder as her poison seeps into my soul. We’ve been though this before. I’m strong enough. I’m strong enough. I’m strong enough… or at least I was. “Leave,” I whisper, her smoke soaking through my pores.

She laughs. She laughs. She laughs… and I try not to cry. The icy cold fingers grip my wrist, the bones grinding in protest, crying in pain. “You’ll have to be more convincing then that,” she whispers, smoke curling through the air.

I take a deep breath. I take a deep breath. I take a deep breath… and slowly let it out. “Leave,” I whisper, hating the thrill running through my veins. “Leave,” I say, trying to inject some strength into my words. Her eyes meet mine in the mirror.

She smiles. She smiles. She smiles… amusement sparkling in dirty gray eyes. “Try again,” she whispers, smoke curling through the air. “Try again,” she says, her grip tightening. “Try, try, try again,” she whispers, and I cringe. She grins, white teeth behind blood red lips.

“Leave!” I scream, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Leave!” I scream, hating the thrill running through my veins. “Leave!” I scream, adoring/abhorring the hold she has on me. “Leave!” I scream, just one more time. I hold her gaze in the mirror, and watch the amusement fade into dirty gray.

She softly smiles, her tears mirroring mine, and caresses my arm one last time. “I believe you,” she whispers, smoke curing through the air. “You’re strong enough,” she whispers, pride sparking in her eyes. “You’re stronger then I am,” she whispers, as her hand slides off of mine. “As you wish, my darlin’,” she whispers.

“I’m gone,” she whispers, smoke curling through the air.

But this time I can breathe. But this time I can breathe. But this time I can breathe… and this time, I am free.