Chartreuse

Ethan sits quietly,
The bottle of Chartreuse
Staring him in the face.
Olive fire that it is,
Burning his throat,
Warming his body,
Numbing his brain.
This is just what he wanted
Tonight.

She permeates his thoughts
Just as the liquor
Permeates his veins.
Invasion.
Submission.
Denial.
Betrayal.

Ethan tries to forget,
Tries to drink himself into apathy.
The blur of reality quakes,
As his unsteady hand
Lifts the bottle.
Emerald flame
Failing to extinguish the memory.

She consumes his mind
Just as Ethan consumes
The Chartreuse.
Ejection.
Rejection.
Self-inflicted
Self-destruction.

And Ethan snaps;
Alcoholic dreams
Of homicidal rage
Coursing through his soul.
His vision fades
As his fury rises,
Drenching everything
Until he can see
Only Jade.

She dances behind his thoughts
Crushes him with her cruel smile.
Her eyes burn Green,
Her laughter obscene,
Her writhing figure
A taunt.

And Ethan screams,
He doesn't notice
Shattered Chartreuse and glass
Making it's home
In his skin.
He consumes the room;
Destroys everything he touches,
Leaves his blood
To mark his path.

She teases him now,
Calls his name.
Seduction in her voice,
"You will never be good enough."
Invasion.
Fury.
Betrayal.
Rage.

And Ethan collapses
In the rubble of his heart.
His memories devour him,
He submits.
Great heaving sobs
Force him to convulse,
Force Emerald shards of broken glass
Deeper in his flesh.

She is patient now.
She has broken him.
With wretched joy
She watches him ebb.
The spectre,
So somber,
So lovely,
So cruel.

And Ethan drifts,
Glacial consciousness
A distant fading dream.
Loneliness and regret
Engulf him,
Wrap him in their frigid embrace.
If he wakes tomorrow
He may start over.
But tonight
He hopes
He dies.