A breath apart

Gently, he covered her ears, as if he meant to protect her from the world's voices. He waited a moment, then continued to gently cradle her head so that their lips met. His breath was soft against her burning cheek, his lips grazing against her flushed skin. His caress tenderly drifted over her face, his eyes locked on her own sparkling orbs. Intoxicated by his arms, she felt as though her limbs had been inspired with liquid fire, racing through her veins at a break-neck speed.

Within his embrace she felt secure, holding him tightly, unwilling to let go. Carefully he disentangled their fevered beings, allowing the space to grow between them. Soon the space began to fill with things that had never mattered before, things that would never matter again. It grew until they were unable to reach across the divide, their fingertips barely grazing. It continued to grow until she could no longer see him across the expanse, it grew until she could no longer recognize him.

Alone, he wondered how they got there. How could one moment cause such a rift? They had opened themselves up to the universe, experienced what only the soul could appreciate. He imagined a bridge, drawing them closer, pulling her back into his arms. They had opened themselves up so that they had disappeared. She finds something in another man's arms, though inside she knows it isn't the same. She searched, never finding what she missed, knowing that it will never be in this fling's kiss. What once inspired fire only inspires icy pain.

In chairs, facing back to back, he reaches for her hand. He finds only empty air. He lets on tear escape, though he knows big boys don't cry. She reaches for his heart, but finds it locked, she fumbles for a key and finds none are there. She screams into the silence, knowing deep inside that he can't hear. She stands behind the glass, watching him pass her by, knowing that nothing can fix the emptiness, knowing she once loved him. He pauses a moment, glancing back to see her clawing at her glass cage, knowing he can't reach her, knowing he once loved her.

Now all that exists for him is the ache in his heart, the dull pain in those arms that crave her. The metallic click hardly resonates, barely moves him. The flash of heat, iron melds with bone, searing his nerves in pain and blood. He slumps in his chair, his eyes flutter, his last thought is on her. All that mattered disappeared with him, she wonders if it was ever there to begin with. The scrape of wood against wood sends a final shiver down her spine, a single tear rolling down her cheek. She struggles to breathe, the lights within begin to flicker. Her mind is on him.

Separated by an ocean's expanse and only a breath apart.