a love story

‘stay away’

                She said

                Her sword steady
                If not heavy
                For her petite frame
                                Pointed at me
                                                Threatening
                                                I’d say
                                                If I were to gauge her intent
- Huh -
My mind snickered 

            I scoffed silently

Doing all I could

To thin the rage

Growing

Shadowing me

Our eyes locked

                In fear?
                Hate?
                I couldn’t quite tell which

                                It was

                                Or were

                                Or is

Still

She was beautiful
                Aiming her gleaming weapon
                Poised a few feet away
             Her eyes bright

                 Likely

 With the anticipation

                 Of my death
                  
Did she really want to do battle out here?
                There is no place to retreat
                Forget
                That she and I meet
                             Here

                             On either side of this line

                Forget

                That she and I met

                             Here

                             Once upon a time

                           

                      With smiles

Did she really think she could win?

                Her only path

                Led to the sea

                Or a high stone wall but a yard or two behind her

             

I held her gaze

My breath laboured

                Worked diligently to keep my ego out of battle

                Toiled earnestly to dilute my saturating anger

             

‘stay away’

                She banished
                Louder this time

It was enough

Enough to spur my ire

I swung my blade across hers

This caught her by surprise

                For some reason

Her gaze broke mine

Forcefully I pulled her into me

                Quickly drove her back

                Blades still fastened

I threw my weight
Behind my sword
Crushed her in retreat

Several feet

                                Against the stone wall

Incensed

I didn’t care how wild my eyes were
As they met her stunned look
I exerted all I could

                Kept her pinned

                Against the wall

                                Against me

                

Heaving to steady my breath

‘You-make-me…so…angry’

                I forced out severely
             
‘Why?’
She asked, quick with disdain
                Finding courage in her challenge

With gritted teeth

‘Probably…’       
                                I reclaimed my weight
                                Loosed my grip
     
‘…Because I’m in love with you.’

                                - Huh -

                                I sneered
                                At myself
                                Disgusted
                                                By the Love I felt for her

                                                When she so clearly

                                                                Despised me

                                                                Forged a line out of her hate

                                                                Or hurt

                                                                I couldn’t quite tell which it was

                                                                Or were

                                                                Or is

I straightened

Watched her face

  Still beautiful

  Despite my admission

                               

We held silent
A mirror image
Refraction  

                Shards of glass

                Catching sun in the sand

                                Slicing gently through bare feet

Weapon in hand

I felt its burden

Slowly dropped its point

To the ground

Moments passed

Without a sound

She flung her blade into the air

                                Held my stare

Tore it down
Before my chest

Into herself

She fell to her knees

Lost balance
Tipped forward

Hung on her steel

Panting

My eyes on hers

Gazed

In horror

We held silent

A mirror image
Refraction

The glint of her blade

                Catching sun in the sky

                                Slicing gently through the air

…

Timelessness

…

I gasped suddenly

Brutally found myself back in my body

…

The glint of her blade

                Catching sun in the sky

                                Slicing gently through the air

                                …

I moved in

Thrust my sword against hers

                She fell back

    I grasped her wrist

                She dropped her blade
                Formed a fist
                                Beat me until she tired

I sat atop her

Grateful she was alive
Held her face in my hands
Caught her eyes

                Dark with tears

                She was crying

                                Pulling at my wrists

                                Struggling to be free

                                From me

Suddenly

I felt her pain

Shame

Here I was
                                This monster
                                She feared
                                Or hated
                                I couldn’t tell which it was
                                Or were
                                Or is

I dropped my hands
Began sobbing

It shook me off her

Drained away all my ugliness

Drained away the disfigurement of my feelings for her

Drained away in me, all that frightened her

I pulled myself up                          

Still weeping

I turned

Staggered away

From hate                         

From Love

In celebration of Passion, the hope-for, and the Joy found in Happy Endings

I remain,

Lesley

Hallelujah Heartist