There's a silver lining in that open cage you call your mind
Free the thoughts within
Explore emotional hymns
Take flight to the tips of irregularity
Taste the sin of indifference

Your feverish rendition
For which I tried to listen
Released my inhibitions
Left the taste of your religion
Sullied by my faltering edition
Causing the omission
Of futuristic goals.

Hide or Seek

Pink poison of choice
Collapses your voice
You try to hide at the bottom the glass
Because your attitude is so crass
But it's not a solution
Merely a substitution
Sweet melody please come to me
Forget all your woes and people you owe
I'll comfort your soul.

Chamber 6 CH. 5

Chamber 6 CH. 4

I stood silently in the shower of Johnathon's family's lakeside cabin that we were supposed to be using for our honeymoon. Tilting my head back, I savored the steaming water pouring over my flesh, running down my blood stained dress, and seeping into my blood splattered white satin shoes. The running mascara irritated my eyelids with a burning sensation numbed by the pain deep within my soul. These precious seconds alone in the bathroom allowed me to thoroughly process everything that recently transpired.

I felt the coils of hair that held my bun loosen and give way to the pounding water. In that very moment I screamed with all might. I sobbed so hard underneath the shower so my tears wouldn't inflate my eyelids too much. I had an interview with the press in the morning to talk about my husband's near death experience and his genius mind lost to the world by an immeasurable coma. Not that I cared much for my image but my face would plastered everywhere on television, newspapers, and the internet. My wedding dress weighed down by hot water began to slide down my heaving bosom. I pushed it the bottom of the tub and slowly stepped out of it. I ripped out the stockings and garter belt to sooth my anguish. The shoes that would never be clean, I threw them out the bathroom window. I turned the water off and just sat in the wretched tub of ruined garments. I didn't move for a long time as I zoned out to yet another memory of Johnathon. I caressed my lips remembering his strong endearing kisses. I ran my fingers down my neck thinking of the marks he used to leave when we had to part for longer than thirty minutes. I remembered his tight hugs as I clutched my shoulders. I ran my hands across my thighs remembering the way they used to straddle his waist as I tickled him into submission before losing myself in his arms. I heaved more sobs and collapsed in the tub straightening my limbs fully while staring blankly at the wooden bathroom ceiling. I couldn't believe my reality. I didn't want to to believe. I don't know how or when but I slept that night in the tub. When I awoke, I could hear someone knocking on the locked door of my bathroom. "Sweetie, are you alright? It's Mom. Please answer me. Don't do anything stupid, alright? I'm here for you and I love you very much. Why is this door fucking locked?! There's no need for you to end up in the hospital too." yelled my mother through the wooden door. I tried to reply but my voice was too raspy for her to hear me. "What? Did you say something? Oh, god please be okay. I'm ramming this mother fucking door so stand back alright?!" yelled back my mother to my raspy sounds. TAP! THUNK! BOOM! CRASH! My mother kicked the door open with her heavy lead-like muscle bound right leg anchored by a steel-toe boot. My mother worked construction and often wore tom boy styles which complimented her physique. Heaving hard she bolstered to my side and sighed with relief to not see any bloody injuries on my cold naked body. "It's okay hun. We're going to get you warmed up and dressed. I made you a hot breakfast and then we'll head to station for your interview. Whatever you're not comfortable with you can just say 'No Comment' alright?" my mother replied encouragingly while hugging my limp form. The hot water helped me feel a little better. I lost myself in childhood memories as she combed through the knots in my hair.

Chamber 6 CH. 3

I sat in a green polyethylene sofa chair next to Johnathon's hospital bed. His heart monitor chimed with a steady beat. Clutching his wire infused hand, I closed my eyes to rest. My mind wandered to the past again. Our first date was at a college costume party. I was dressed as Cinderella and he was Batman for the evening. He had shown up with his med student buddies and they were all dressed up as their favorite super heros. My Tinkerbell friend set me up on a blind date with Batman. She knew I loved the tall, dark, and handsome type but the first thought that came to mind was that maybe she took it a little too seriously. I sipped anxiously on the vodka cranberry in my Solo red cup as he sat down next to me and Tinkerbell. She pinched me on the elbow and gave me a wink as she got up from the sunken couch to give me and Batman some privacy. "Elizabeth wait..." I called out, but she managed to slip through the jostling crowd of costumed dancers and was gone. "So...how do you know Elizabeth?" asked Johnathon, while he adjusted his faux Batman pecks. "She's my college room mate and BFF. How do you know her?" I asked sheepishly, staring down at my twinkling bedazzled ballet flats that acted as my faux glass slippers. "She's dating my best friend. There he is over there in the Iron Man costume." he smiled under his black Batman cowl. Sure enough Iron Man was easy to spot being that he was being held upside down chugging beer from a nearby keg. Elizabeth laid down on the pool table adjusting her Tinkerbell skirt so that Iron Man could lick the salt off her navel while he downed a shot of Patron 1800 tequila. I shook my head in disapproval. I knew those pictures would haunt her in the morning on Facebook once someone tagged her in them. Her little sister was a Facebook friend and would freak out if she saw them and probably use them later for blackmail. I returned my attention to Batman and searched for something to talk about with him. I noticed his cup so in a desperate attempt to make small talk I asked, "What are you drinking tonight Mr. Dark Knight?" He smiled and lowered the cup for my viewing curiosity. "It's just gingerale. I don't drink. I don't really dance well either. Would you mind if we left this crazy scene and watch a movie?" he replied while scratching at his leather cowl. "Um, sure. Where should we go?" I asked excitedly, curious about his taste in movies. "We could go upstairs to my dorm room if you don't mind. I'd like to change out of this itchy costume." he laughed heartily. "Sounds good. What movies do you have?" I asked while following him upstairs through the crowded common space. My memory of those careful steps to his dorm room reminded me of the song Stairway to Heaven. It was the beginning of a sweet commitment that I would cherish deep in my heart forever. The bond we shared over movies would establish the foundation of friendship that would later blossom into closeness and flower into passion.

Chamber 6 CH. 2

I spent thirteen hours staring at Jonathon's dried blood on my once white heels in the waiting room of Memorial Hospital. My big toe on my left foot was visible from my peep toe shoe and had curdled blood just beneath the nail and embedded on the sides. He lost so much blood was all I could think about. Family members hovered over me offering coffee and comfort but I partook of neither. I could barely swallow saliva much less a sip of bitter flavored water.

Salt water began to fill my eyelids once more and blur my vision. My ears grew deaf to the bustling sounds of the waiting room. My mind was lost to my own existence absorbed in the memory of my beloved's smiling face when we first met in biology 101 at Baylor University. His dimples illuminating the creases in his tan cheeks and highlighting his gorgeous green eyes.

I remembered the way his laugh could warm and give life frostbiten souls. We would debate constantly on hypothetical scenarios and movies. Our favorite thing to do between classes and our hectic part time jobs was to watch anime and read manga. His favorite was bleach and mine was Naruto. The fantasies' inspirational quotes stoked the fires of our youthful bond and personal drive to succeed in our respective majors. I remembered how he proposed to me. We dressed up as characters from Bleach attending a three day anime convention called Akon in Dallas, Texas. After a long day of events and shopping on the second day, I prepared to change out of the black kimono of my costume. He surprised me with a zipped up garment on a hanger in his left hand. "What is it?" I asked suspiciously. I assumed it was something risque he wanted me to cosplay behind closed doors. But I was wrong. It was the moon princess dress from my favorite anime Sailor Moon. He told me to put it on and meet him downstairs at the anime rave. I did my make up and put on the wig that accompanied the lovely white and gold dress. I posed for fans outside the rave while waiting for him but he didn't show up. I walked in alone to see if he arrived before me. The ballroom was full of cosplayers, mostly nekkos and risky glowing garments. Suddenly I felt hands reach around my waist swaying me to the music. "I'm sorry sir but I'm already taken." I replied while removing the unfamiliar gloved hands from my waist. "Taken by no other than me I should hope?" replied the lips at my ear. I spun around to see Johnathon decked out gloriously in a Tuxedo Mask costume. He knelt down in the middle of the crowd at my feet. People all around us paused their dancing to watch his proposal. The large crowd we attracted caught the dj's attention and he kindly put the spotlight on us. The light caught the engagement ring on my finger causing it to sparkle brilliantly. That kiss melted the world around us fusing us into one magnificent being.

A tap on my shoulder broke my concentration of that magnificent memory and brought me back to my horrid reality. The doctor standing before me was going to inform me of my beloved's well being but I wasn't sure if I was ready to hear it yet. I placed both hands over my ears and shook my head violently. The doctor hugged me and peeled my fingers away whispering, "Calm down, he's alive. He's alive. He hasn't woken up yet but you can see him."