Texture Sasha Reeder

Bloody Fate Bloody Fate Bloody Fate the blood runs out of your mouth— every drop, a hidden clue, helping to guide my journey. they say reach for the stars, but they’re corrupted, evident from the crimson on your chin; they don’t notice your flaws, i know you can’t help me; your blood, thinning as your lies run out, you say: put your faith in me, i will guide you to freedom. i follow you, in awe, thinking you would lead the way, not realizing i was moving farther from heaven, now only a mile away from your home; i saw an end to my youth, as my bloody friend, tricked me into eternal damnation: i believed your deceptions, thinking your red trail would lead me to success, i should’ve known you had no power, you were fed from my greed, my laziness— so i ended up in a ditch, fire surrounding me, as my lungs gasped for air, you returned, your bloody wounds gone, gold ichor flowing— as i screamed with my last breaths, i realized my mistake of taking in your words, only passed your crimson on to me Bloody Fate Nikkita Pandey Originally published in The Young Writer’s Initiative