Friffel

Nothing. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how much you worked, no matter the hours of sleep you sacrificed to the gaping jaws of the hospital, even if you offered your soul to the devil himself, there was nothing you could do. On one hand, the game played within the walls of the ICU was one only for the bravest, the savviest - the ones with the hardest of hearts - a game to salvage as many lives as possible from sickness and injury. Death was a cunning, expert player, often lurking around the corners of every room, ready to strike at any moment, taking yet another patient from your clutches. You grew accustomed to losing. After all,

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veV3DOzO9-g Please listen while you read!) Mystery. The enigma of a masquerade ball never ceased to amaze you. What were once familiar faces were painted with precious metals and vibrant colors, obscuring their defining features. With only the lights of the flickering candles to illuminate the ballroom, soft, rhythmic melodies swell about the dancers, its arm gently embracing them, carrying them away into an intoxicating dream; luxurious, entrancing, mellifluous. A trance. Holding the mask close to your face, you weaved yourself through the elegant chaos of the drunken dancers pressed against one another,

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-tn_7CHvw Please listen while you read!) “My lady.” “...Hn.” “My lady.” A hand gingerly curved over the top of your head, thumb gloved in white smooth down the soft ripples. With a subdued grunt, you lifted your neck. “Ah, what am I to do with you?” he muttered under his breath. “How long must you sleep to prevent these mid-afternoon naps?” “I do not appreciate your comments, Sebastian,” you grumbled in reply as you rubbed your eyes. “Do forgive me,” he replied with a curt bow. “But, you have scheduled an appoint

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7qRnIoAmg8&spfreload=10 Please listen while you read!) At the end of each day, when the sun vanishes behind the dips of the horizon, the golden paints of the sun sight now doused with shades of blue, glittering with delicate starlight, those below their celestial array retire to their homes, sink into their sanctuary of sleep and wait for the coming morn. But, you await the night. As soon as you hear the grandfather clock announce the midnight hour, the solemn chimes reverberating throughout the house, prickles tingle along the lengths of your limbs, and your heart quivers with excitement, exhilaration that

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNatQoRMgmA Please listen while you read!) Caged... Cold bars lined with so much rust, needles pricked the bottoms of your sensitive skin, a musty smell, moist and cool bricks, blackness so thick, you were certain you could cut it with a knife... This was what most visualized when speaking of prison. But, when you awoke, surrounded by nothing but silken sheets, head resting snuggly in your downy pillow, inhaling the aroma of soft lavender, you never expected this to become your cage, this facade of safety and security. Then, the click of the door, one footstep, and your heart threatened to escape your ch

“Can you see me, my dear?” You could see him. Your eyes had long since broken. Darkness was your only companion now, and those outside your little hemisphere could only connect with you through words and touch. But he took advantage of that, lacing his fingers with your own, filling those empty spaces with slender stalks of warmth. A soft caress trailed about the outline of your face, one simple touch sending jolts of electric pleasure, awakening senses you knew not existed. You could see him. As he peeled away the outer layers you used to protect yourself, your untouched, unexplored skin, your heart filled with cracks, you g

“Ah, how soft and silky your hair is, my beloved.” You looked up at him, your mesmerizing eyes sparkling in the soft candlelight flickering behind him. Slowly, the tips of his fingers traced the line of your spine. Shivers traveled up your back at his delicate touch. “What’s this? Do you like that?” he said with a smile. He continued his gentle caresses. With a satisfied exhale, you rested your cheek against his chest, yearning for more. “Mmm, so affectionate and sweet. Sweet, little creatures like yourself never cease to capture my heart.” The pads of his fingers slid through your desirable tres

The delicate pads of your fingers traced over the sun kissed skin of your arm, the golden light warming the exposed limb. Your weary eyes follows the small patterns, the threads of purple and blue protruding then fading into the back of your hand. Nothing but silken sheets draped over your naked form, and despite the frigid autumn air seeping through the panes of your room, the ache in your muscles and the stinging in your eyes distracted you from the tiny prickles along your forearm. And you used every bit of strength of your exhausted mind to push it away... Push away those toxic memories, riddled with humiliation... Push away memories o