Sacrifice

Short Short Story

Bliss bloomed inside the mind as if a tulip sprouting in the spring season. The lids of masculine eyes fluttered to a close as he stifled a groan, the alluring touch of a woman sent his body tumbling through the plains of ecstasy. Her sharp ivory incisors dug into the flesh of his neck, causing a grotesque concoction of agony and desire to course rampantly through his veins. The honeyed nectar of life housed within his mundane frame was slowly being pilfered away.

 

She was killing him. And he loved her for it.

 

Delicately lithe fingers coiled around the nape of his neck and singed hair as her vicious touch charred his skin. Heat rolled off of her fiery physique in waves, her typically olive skin taking a reddish hue as her curls of flames hung loosely in his face. Akin to the passion that danced between them, she was a sweltering inferno of madness. Even the most pious and devout of minds were crippled by her temperature, so what hope had he? The fragments of his life that he had allotted for her presence she had seared to ash.

 

She was eroding him. And he loved her for it.

 

Sweet and sultry, the soprano of her voice cooed within his ear. Taking ragged breaths between the devouring of his flesh, her siren’s call corrupted his mind. Beads of blood spilt from his ear as if waterfalls but he could nothing to halt their flow. The melodic hymn of her voice was sinful and yet he couldn’t quiet her despite his efforts. The dribble that spewed from her lips was akin to liquor and he was a drunkard getting intoxicated off of her syllables.

 

She was consuming him. And he loved her for it.

 

The coppery skin he had known his entire life turned pale and dull as she robbed him of time. Minute slivers of his strength clung to his soul and with it he furled his arms around her frame as he weakly spoke out to her. “I love you.” The rehearsed words were met with contentment as she continued to feast upon him. The marrow of his bones quivered as he knew his pounds of meat would sustain her, his life fueling the air under her wings.

 

And despite this, he felt at home with her. This is what the cowards that came before had taught him. Paint your pelt in pretty hues and carve out flesh to present it as gifts. For this was love! How deeply one felt was equivalent to what one was willing to sacrifice and endure. Acrid boisterous voices abusing as aimless arms swung through the air to pound and beat. It was the teachings of slaves, coaching one to bear the harsh crackle of whip upon spine and still stare aimlessly at the master as if they were somewhat divine.

 

They had shackled him to a parasite.