Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXXVI

I felt your energy encroaching. With a whisper I simply said, “Back up.” When I turned around you were gone and at last I could breathe again.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXXV

Seven years I spent wandering in circles through the swamps and black forests. Now I find myself, once again, standing before an unlocked gate. I’m overwhelmed by the compulsion to look back to the forest one last time. I’m unsure if I am more afraid of the light seeping through the cracks, or if I’m afraid you’ll come running out of the shadows again to convince me it’s safer here. The air smells cleaner through the door, the warmth of the sun is calming on my hands, and I can hear the waves crashing on the shore for the first time in a very long time.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXXIV

The dragon was resting peacefully. I had all but forgotten it was even there. Then you came along, crouched, and gently kissed its cheek. In your absence, it paces relentlessly, blowing fire, and slamming into the walls of it’s cage begging for freedom until we are both consumed in flame.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXXIII

Tell I’m still breathing. Tell me we didn’t break time forever. Tell me I’m getting older, that it’ll all be over soon. Tell me that this isn’t Hell, and I’ll do my best to believe you.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXXI

It wasn’t just your choices or my choices. It was the unity of all decisions that brought us to this. In doing so, we surrendered all right to make complaints or demands.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXX

How can it be that you exist in the world as ten times the artist I am—and not understand it. I can see you through the mist. I can feel your gaze when it glances over. I smell your tears when they fall. We are forever connected you and I. Yet, when I feel your desire I am overwhelmed by the compulsion to remind you…you made your own decisions.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXIX

Your words hold power no one fully comprehends, choose them wisely lest they confuse you for a demon rather than the angel your nature calls forth.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXVIII

We could touch down softly in white robes and it still wouldn’t be enough.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXVII

Every step towards you was one step closer to the best parts of me and a step further from the worst. It’s 33 minutes till midnight and the best parts of you are the things that occupy the silence. Every step was one closer to the real me…not the the numbed version of who I was. That in itself was a beautiful path to walk—and I would walk it again.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXVI

You were the deepest part of the river.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXV

We were high as the heavens and there was no magic bullet that could preserve the moment. No matter how many times I pulled the trigger, heaven was fated to slip away in the haze of the morning fog.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXVI

I can feel the memories of you slipping through the fingers of my heart. It is both tragic and a blessing in one. Like someone is gently rubbing aloe on an open wound.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXV

I can still hear my name falling from your lips.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXIV

34,000 words into a new world and in the silence I found you sitting in the corner of the room and realized I had to start over.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXIII

I never expected to break a black heart of gold, but here I am. Most of the changes were for the best—but not all of them.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXII

In a strange way I owe you a debt of gratitude for saving me from a lifetime of heartbreak. Now, it just burns day and night.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XXI

Breathe deep love, everything is going to be alright.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XX

I had a big win today. Somehow the win wasn’t everything that it would have been with you here.

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XIX

“Wait…I think you smoked crack…” I said

“I might have…shit…it was just some white shit in a pipe being passed around—I just wanted to be included,” she said.

“…you definitely smoked crack.”

“…shit!”

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Nathaniel Hankins Nathaniel Hankins

Scarlet XVIII

You were a hand grenade and I was so worried about dropping it I didn’t notice the spoon sailing across the room.

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