Villain
by ADEMINU
I never understood why villains always seek immortality. Was it the itch for a perennial
existence, or did they merely want to mock and pity people for their fleeting mortal remains? I
never understood, that is, until my eyes scorched within yours, and that tinge of your hand
stroked mine like hope caressed despair.
Your cloying tongue drew maps around my body, leaving me lost in your absence. Your image
haunts me, as I recall your eyes—green as sencha tea. And sometimes, I take a thoughtless sip
from that memory, and suddenly, my tongue is burnt. Yes, a tongue burn. You often have that
effect on me.
I never understood why villains seek immortality, until I met you. For you are the cause of my
lust for eternal life, for I nearly suffocate to death when I think about how time could separate us.
Does that make me a villain too?
About the Author:
ADEMINU is a Moroccan writer and first-year college student whose work explores identity, memory, and the small rituals of everyday life. They have experience in poetry, essays, and translation. They writes from blood & ashes, where words pour out like a river of mistakes, memories, and whatever the heart can’t hold anymore.
