The Tin Man's Curse

Pain. An eternal theme, can be expressed in many ways, but with all the pain we can feel, isn't it the pain in the soul that hurts the most? Here, a possible first of a best seller from a friend...enjoy.

Sweet webs of sleep laced my eyes shut, for a minute i felt the numbness ease away. I dreamt of beauty, the boy in blue and the girl with pink ribbons in her hair, hand in hand they leaped with joy, oblivious to the world at large. As I wept, I did so one last time. The rain fell hard on me and yes this is what I wanted, I told myself,to be drenched, some how cleansed of all, unable to feel all. So I shut my eyes as it rained harder. Lying there still, I grew cold, icy solid.

When I woke up I felt strange, light, almost elated!! However, was this what I wanted? Was all gone? I sat up trying to adjust to this new body. As I stretched out my hands, the metallic projections startled me at first, but then it dawned on me, I had indeed been transformed, I was all shiny metal, the rain had washed the flesh away. Tapping my chest gently, all that echoed back was the hollow emptiness; that wretched thing had gone too, vanished like the noon day breeze, now I could function, I could live, shining metal and all.

Days weaved into nights. I saw the birds singing by day but I could not hear their music; I gasped for air, but only to survive, never really breathing freshness. By night, the fireflies glowed, but I was not warmed. Then one day as I sat there pondering, a beautiful orchid began to bloom right before my eyes. I looked but I could not enjoy its scent; I tried to touch it but I could not. With its radiance it beamed, beckoning me on, but I was too afraid. I got up, took in all its beauty and ran. Why couldn't I stay? Why did I have to go? Why didn't I know of its beautiful fragrance? I'll tell you why. I have the Tin man's curse. I have no heart.


Azure C.K

(The Orchid's response.....next post.)