Legs skinned, flesh peeling away
My hands search for something and conceal another
It's hard to tell in the red dimness
of the moment

I feel both the pressure and pride
that comes with leadership
The plan is under way
Manipulation comes easily
When the Devil digs her pointed nails further
Into the slit separating bone from blood
---
When I wake up
My heart is heavy
My mind tangled
Jaw sore from the raw inside of my cheek

For the rest of the day
I am left with the question of what it means
To still be alive