beach , and be amused of how little time it takes for the tide to sweep away the two sets of footprints that once lined its shore .
Some say it is wise , born from practice of pushing rafts out into the sea , but I have seen people with lot more experience than me still becoming drunk on sorrow . The difference between them and me was that unlike them I knew the answer to the question of “ if ” s . “ IF I have not met her there ”, “ IF I have given her this at that time ”, “ IF I have said this instead ”, IF this , IF that . The answer was that it would ’ ve made all the differences that would accumulate to none . She might ’ ve met another person , she might ’ ve stayed a week longer , but the result would be the same . The tide of time will irresistibly come and go , leaving you with only what you had before . The more you received , the more you will weep away into the nights afterwards , until you ’ re back to square one .
She moved against my chest . “ It ’ s getting cold ” she meowed .
“ It is .” I kissed her soft round forehead , and slowly led her back inside . Back , back inside to what she called “ love ,” words dropping out from the mouth like empty cartridges from a shotgun . I cradled her body , feeling the rounds lodged inside her heart clinking with each other . I pressed her closer , wrapping myself around her as the wind picked up , feeling it all the more acutely through the hole in my chest . Behind us , the bruised corpse faded away into nothingness .
The city sky was too bright for stars .
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