Beast

You leave permanent scars on every person who ever tries to love you. You’re a big beast whose daggering claws tear through every hand that tries to remove the splinter in your paw.

My curse in this world is to love you, even as my hand bleeds and stings with every touch. At first, your paws hide the daring claws I fail to notice each time. But my aching hands are always reminded of your hatred when those sharp claws penetrate my skin.

Your beastly eyes, remorseful but not quite repentant. You know you’re hurting me yet you chose to do so anyway because it’s all you know how to do.

When my hand grows limp and trembles with pain, I pull it away from your callous paw. Your eyes water, but still you are not quite repentant yet either. But the tears that gather in your eyes are enough to convince me to place my hand upon your paw once more, slowly and carefully reaching for the embedded splinter which lays so deeply buried in your paw.

But the gentleness with which I approach your pain scares you, for you know nothing of care. And each time I try, you tear the skin from my hand. My screams echo in your ears, and you curl inwards with pain, yet still you do not let go of me.

I try to rip myself away, but we both freeze in place, watching my blood bathe your wounded paw. My blood mixes with yours, but changes nothing.

I’m the flesh of your flesh, the blood of your blood, yet you still chose to tear away into me, because the love you feel for me is not enough to change you. So you cling desperately to your beast-like self and refuse to accept love, staining me with your pain and making it my own.

Once you finally let me go, I stare at the splinter which is still buried in your paw. You hold it tightly, even when I try to remove it. I can see the pain traveling your veins.

So I remain still, forever painfully holding your paw, even when your claws pierce my skin.