Pomegranates

HER WEDDING DRESS fit perfectly, the all-white sleek fabric glistened with diamonds. Her makeup was soft and gentle. Her hair is well combed in an elegant and intricate updo. The silk gloves covering her dainty hands made her look even more grander than she already is.

She could see her future husband up at the altar as her fingers clutched the base of her bridal bouquet. Standing tall as a tree and with a head held high was her husband.

A husband she did not love.

A husband who mistreated her countless times.

I remember the way she looked at me as she approached the altar. The way her eyes flickered between me and that man. I remember how her lips trembled and tears seemed to crowd her vision and how she kept them from falling. How his eyes glared at me as I kept my eyes on her, calm, reassuring.

But then suddenly everything went dark. The lights in the mystical-looking venue had been shot out.

There was an unmistakable twist in my stomach. A scream followed it.

So loud, so formidable, so mortifying.

The hot uncomfortable feeling in my stomach increased. I reached towards it, a wet liquid coating my hands in warmth.

A shaky breath leaves my lips as I collapse onto the carpeted floor. The lights turn on in a flash and my eyes start burning instantly. I try adjusting my eyes as quickly as possible.

The pain starts becoming so unbearable that my breathing slows significantly and my eyes blur.

And then I see her.

Her.

The once soft and sorrowful expression is now being replaced by a fearful wide-eyed look. The once pure untainted white fabric of her dress was now stained in crimson. Her gloves, her lips, the beautiful bouquet I had gifted her. It was all coated in the dark liquid.

I spare a glance towards the man she was to marry. His expression is blank, oh so blank. Although his eyes, his eyes showed everything. The satisfaction he felt as he glanced at me momentarily, the way a small and barely visible smile appeared on his lips when his face fell back to her.

I make my way towards her as fast as I can. My legs struggle to even move an inch.

I place her head on my lap, blood gushed out of the carved flesh. Tears fall from my eyes, they glisten with the intruding rays of sunlight pointed towards us.

My hands caress her face as she coughs up blood. Her trembling lips, stained red, part as if parched.

Everyone is staring, blank looks on their faces as if copied and pasted onto one another.

They start walking closer and closer, inch by inch. Creeping in on us.

Tear us to pieces, devour us, but please do it gently. Consume us completely, but only after you've been patient with us. Let our blood stain your lips as you pray I am worth all your effort. I promise my flesh will be sweet.

And they will eat off of us like they are starved. They take and take but they never give back for our taste is heaven.

They will consume us until there's nothing left but the bones covered by our supple flesh. Then they will take those bones and scarf them down as if completely famished.

They will not care. To tear at our flesh is an art to them. Lovingly taking us apart, bit by bit, is only but fun to them. Their hands will be stained in the belligerent process, but the sweetness of our bones will be worth the stains of their palms.

To love someone like they know I love her is to know them inside and out. Messy and time-consuming. But being splayed bare by someone who took the time to lovingly take you apart will be the closest they have ever been to religion.

And thus, these selfish creatures we call humans. Will consume their own fruit until there be no fruit to squander.

Lonesome will they all be.

Forever lonesome will they all be.

And then from my large tree, I shall give you another fruit to eat. And this time, you can try to share again, and again. And may you be wise enough to treasure your harvest.

I am a pomegranate.
cut me open.
and break my outer skin.

inside of me is my fruit.
all the meat of me.
hidden.

you dig your fingers into me,
pulling me apart.
ripping me to pieces.

I do not want to be
in your mouth.
nor feel the heat of your breath.

chew me up.
spit me out.
and leave me empty.

- Pomegranates -