when he was a boy

the others avoided him

it was like they could feel

the wrongness

so he learned early

to hide away

become what you want them to see

make friends

hide the damage

am i damaged?

his mother would say yes

but this girl

who is terrified of the monster that lurks beneath his skin

she is damaged too

she won't admit it

but

they are the same

he can almost taste the darkness

just beneath her skin

if she could stop running from it

they could be happy