Iron Liberation

And the lock stayed locked, cold and empty waiting for a key.

And he never came. Leaves changed, the moon waxed and waned, yet the door never opened.

And my heart would never be the same, he had the only key.

And the floor was covered in bottles, emptied during long lonely nights.

And the pain came in waves, each one sharper than the last.

And one day he was there, his face blurred into my memory.

And then he was gone, the waves broke over the dunes.

And then I was alone, my mouth wrapped around a cold steel barrel.

And my hand shook the metallic taste spread down my throat.

And then I lost it, threw the gun down and emptied my stomach.

And then I was calm, with the gun back in my hand.

And then there was nothing, the pain was gone.

And then it was over.