The Fall

I carried the dream from the dirt of my birth a kingdom fixed in my chest like bone gathered the willing under one banner Soiled my body to achieve my dream you met my steel and held your ground your blade opened my cheek in that first clash not follower but match your own path already cut ahead I pulled you close charged the monster’s roar to drag you from its claws risked my name in the jaws of death to keep that balance true we stood shoulder to shoulder through the long fights talks after dark laid the weight bare friendship only real when both dreams live yours pulled at mine made the climb feel shared then you named your leaving simple words the ground gave way hollow rushed in where certainty had been I reached for leverage in panic and the fall came hard tendons sliced clean tongue torn out body left twisted in chains and filth days measured in pain and the same stubborn thought you returned among the rest I tried to seize one last thread of control fingers clawing at what little warmth remained pity in your eyes ended it nothing left but the choice the small red egg slick with blood and tears in my ruined fist every face that ever followed me laid down for the single thing I still owned I paid them all dream intact the bond we built gone with the rest gone with the rest