I walk

I step

Down the long, narrow hall

My feet shuffling

Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle

'Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle' thinks my mind

"Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle" says my mouth

Shuffling

That is all

On which I focus

I have something else

On which to focus

But I don't

I can't

I won't

For I would cry

I do cry

My father

The king

Was diagnosed with terminal cancer

Terminal cancer

Terminal

TERMINAL

That word is loathsome

Terminal, terminal, terminal

"Terminal..." I start

But stop

And so did my father's heart

And now

I

Cry

I

Sob

I

Bawl

All the thoughts away

But here's the thing

They're still there

And each tear that strikes the floor

That's a piece of bad thoughts

I can still feel them

They pierce my chest

I hate them

I hate them

I hate them

I HATE them

They make me feel

Weak

Sad

Depressed

Pathetic

Worthless

And there's nothing I can do

I sit on my knees

In a pool of my own thoughts

I hear something

Someone

Coming

COMING

To me?

To me

They wrap their arms around me

I know who it is

Link

Link

Link

He whispers things like

"It'll be okay"

I listen

I nod

I hug him back

He's warm

Warm, warm, warm

I love it

He carries me away

Away from the bad thoughts

MY bad thoughts

He puts me in my bed

Lays me down

Covers me in a blanket

Places a kiss on my cheek

"Goodnight my princess" he says

"Your father is with you

And so am I"

I close my eyes

Thinking about that

I dream

Of words

Of good words

Of tons of words

A thousand words

A thousand words of

Love

Hope

Faith

And HAPPINESS

And I fly