baiiley
It took weeks for the skin of his damaged lip to return to its smooth and soft state. It took weeks, and within a day his teeth were gnawing, blood soaking his tongue and shame filling his chest.
She watched the water for several moments, back hunched and eyes narrowed. A small breeze sent the surface into a disruption of light ripples, before stilling seconds later. The sun dipped behind the edge of a dispersing cloud, and she pounced. A flurry of motion as birds left their tree branches in a panic, and the water burst from the banks with a dramatic splash. Then, as if untouched, the water settled. Birds returned to their branches. A pond skater flitted calmly across the still surface.
With a scrap of paper in hand and and contented smirk on his face, he stepped away from the crumbling old building. The rain was coming down in sheets and his face was soaked from the lashing cold droplets, yet his lips didn't waver. From now on, it was his. All his.
Dark skies of deep greys and purples sat as a warning sign on the horizon. The sun continued to burn, its bright rays blinding the mountains and lakes with its glare. But the clouds were moving, their blackened edges creeping across the powder blue, claiming its victory.