fried brains
skinshifters
a smile to beguile

wounded minds
colourblind
a smile of recognition

face drawn, pale and pallid,
eyes sunken as spirit tarried,
rattled cage o' tired invalid
fifty suns soul had carried

the flame waned and flickered
in frame worn and withered,
battle scarcely begun
before adversary won

and now the wings unclipped 'n ready
waited for abeyance of inner eddy
waited to be free at last
of physical prison, physical cast

the spirit feels can linger no more
it rattles and shakes and knocks on door
with one last guttural click and snore
breaks free the darkness, begins to soar.

To hear the phrase, "They can smell fear" repeatedly which implies human can smell fear is a myth.
Wolves, dogs, lions and cats can smell fear which is true.
Humans can see fear in body language, tone of voice, the way a person breathes and in the way eyes move.
Humans can sense fear with the gazing of the eyes because the eyes reveal everything.
Humans acting confident and actually being confident are two totally different things.
Humans are inclined to benefit of the doubt, nervousness, socially awkwardness, believing in humanity too much and believing in humanity too little.
The Scent of Desperation is the trembling of the hands, the waver in the voice, the heavy breathing and the wobbly walk.

Insults,
like toxic drops
erode self esteem
forming fissures
deeper than
canyons