you went out that night
walking far from home
she'd begged you not to leave
but you needed to be alone
and when the walls came down
and the ceilings tumbled to the ground
you were focused on the earth
dissecting concepts of weight and worth
the sun was rising
when you hit the state line
you were running out of gas
while she was running out of time
god came heavy-handed
like thunder in the sky
the devil crept crept softly
to hear him was to try
you thought you'd understood
the idea of mistakes and regrets
you came to realize
you hadn't even been close yet
you should have been there to protect her
it was your only job
nothing left but the silence
broken occasionally by a sob
from your only silver lining
the child that you'd stole
half of her will live on
the only chance, a temporary soul