3rd place winner Fall 2021

Author: Briar Rose Toyoshiba

I feel my heart start to sink into the depths.

I quickly fish it out before it can fall into the void.

The faint glow of red emitting from the bloody bruised organ in my hands.

     Boom

          Boom

             B…oo…m

I gently pat it and give it a small kiss, 

placing it into the bottle of matching bruised hearts. 

My chest lay open and empty yet it is it’s most vulnerable.

My eyes scan the dark room,

    Boom

       Boom

             Boom

The beat of hearts echoed through the blackness.

I open a new jar Off the shelf. I open it to silence.

I’m out of hearts.
I desperately look around the void for hearts.

My body goes through phases of torpid movement.
My hands shake as I reach

   Up

       Up

         U…p

My shaky pale hand falls to the cold tile, away from the top shelf.

My vision matches the room around me.

Electrical humm fills ears till all that’s left

is 

   Boom

         Boom

            Boom