Ive noticed i tiptoe, all hours of the day, so my downstairs neighbors dont hate me

I feel empty, all day, i noticed last week

It’s been bad lately. Not the worst it’s ever been. Not the worst it will be. But bad. Bad. 

I lost my book. The book i think is haunted. And i am afraid to let it touch my pillow for fear it may devour me while i sleep. 

Ive got my fathers book to read. And a job to find. And a woman to love and ugly to squash and a trembling heart to coax into a car. 

We used to put on our coats the fun way. 

Now nothing is bright. The colors are faded. You iron your screen print but it’ll likely still bleed. Black and green and blue in the wash. 

The strangest stranger is my sister. The kindest devil is my friend. The monsters sit on my chest and grow vines round my ribs and squeeze. I’m sorry i laughed when you told me your dream. 

Now nothing much happens. It hurts and i stumble round for a while then i go to bed again. Just gotta get through it. One more time. Then another. And so on. Until it stops.