Running
I run
He’s five yards ahead
Sweat drips down my forehead and into my eye
The sting is invigorating
I pump my arms faster, I drive my feet harder into the ground behind them
He’s four yards ahead
My lungs burn
But my heart is ebullient
My blood races to oxygenate my hyperactive neurons
He’s three yards ahead
My body is heavy
My right calf buckles under the weight — I stumble
But my left calf shoulders its brother’s burden — I recover
I cannot lose ground
He’s two yards ahead
I can feel my muscles tearing
My body is coming apart
Its particulate fuels my enlivened spirit
He’s one yard ahead
For hours I’ve watched his back
But now, I can almost touch it
This last push,
A final exertion,
I -
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We’re neck and neck
I look to meet his eyes, my achievement a glowing neon sign across my face
His face is expressionless
I can see through his hollow eyes
That his heart is still
And his mind is inert
My smile dims
I look forward
To where am I running?
