It's like a boil on your favorite finger.

The scarlet liquid reaches
a tipping point
and when the ***
is about to spill
a hand, seemingly out of nowhere,
reaches out to catch it.

An open hand
is still an open hand
despite it being
melted right down to
it's bone.

No one want to love
and lose.

What has flesh taught us
but to let the skeleton
feel safe and comfortable
for the time being.

"We're all soldiers now"

And the blanket
comforts the child
one last time
before she
becomes the woman
she was meant to be.