ELEVEN

Jasmine flowers

and thorns.

They grow around her lungs,

and she's taken aback

by the side of Ash

that the world has never

dreamed 

of seeing.

He is no longer

the hollywood heart throb,

no longer the boy she had met,

when she was eleven,

he is a mystery

that only the stars had the answer to.

Why had she agreed

to go on his little

adventure?

Why?

Why?

What made her

say yes?

The sky

is submerged in black,

and spotted

with hundreds

of little twinkling white dots.

The car hums beneath her,

and besides her,

Ash is concentrated on the empty road

laying ahead of them.

For such a busy city,

Maddie has never seen

the side of it

that falls to sleep

under the night sky.

"Where are we going, Prince Pea?" 

she asks,

over the singing 

of the wind

that rushes around them.

The corners of his lips

slightly curl upwards,

and he glances at her,

from the corner of his eye.

"Back to wonderland."

Maddie's lips purse,

and for once,

she does not know what to say

so instead,

she decides

to let the cold breeze wash over her,

to let the scent of fresh air

and jasmine flowers

drift her off

into the moment.

Around the two, 

the city passes by

in flashes 

of gold and silver

as the stars above them

remain in place,

with their secrets intact,

and their hearts unmoved.

Why has she never 

done something like this

ever before?

When they were younger,

she would always lead them 

on their little reckless adventures;

They would climb high trees,

and cry over twisted ankles.

They would wander in forests

and stray of the paths,

only to find themselves

closer to living 

than any other adult.

Why did they have to end?

Indigo kisses

the world,

while pieces 

and 

fragments

of silvery gold

drip through the canvas.

Around them,

the night sky

         begins

             to bleed

                   in color

                            again.

Underneath the beauty

of the stars,

and the city sky,

Ash whispers something

into the air.

"One,

inhale

the night sky.

check."

He seems to say.

And Maddie 

could almost see the 

silver tears

that coat the tips

of his long lashes.

Her heart aches,

for some strange reason. 

Jasmine flowers

and thorns.