Hunted secrets

In the silence of the night

No breeze to disturb the atmosphere

The perfection of the darkness

So many things hide in the shadows

Thorns and bramble

Dusky unknown treasures

Secrets tucked away

In a burnished jewel box

Held close

So none may discover

Wounds dripping carmine

Eyes glancing behind

Scraping up the traces

Obligations

Fine inlaid chains

Restraining and trailing

in the dust around and beyond

A pause

A darting glance,

Desire for reassurance

Feathery caress

Along the edges

Ornate lid raised

Well-oiled hinges mute

Ash coated fingers

Dally over precious valuables

Viridian, hessionite, ruby and fire opal

Moonstone, sapphire and pearl

Staining their surfaces

Venomous spines draw ichor

A welling up

Agony swallowed

Healing rain of tears

Cannot be allowed to cleanse

The many sources of beauty

Sins fall smoking

Upon the splendid bounty

Decomposition mars the inner lining

Tendrils of blight creep ever closer

Unvoiced truths

Feed the hidden fire

Regret of past loss and failure

All choices that have been made

Drive bindings deeper

Whispers

Uncertain of their source

Echoed around

Fear blossoms to terror

Treasures clutched tight

Light within dimmed

A stranglehold upon the fuel

Gasps of breath

Strained

Shuffled stumbling steps

Directionless in the gloom

A soft chime of delicate metal

Against desert cracked stone

Alerts the unseen predators

Hope must be kept secret

By resolve

It is the hunted prey

On the starless ebony night

Speeding to find rest

The wolves in the twilight

Heaviest shadows are before the dawn

Ravenous desire to spill the hearts-blood

of the doe carrying her burgeoning fawns