the breaking.

i can feel the breaking

i can hear it

can you?

we used to hum

the mechanics of a machine with parts not made to work together, but determined to do so.

a low-frequency, heavy hum

but now, do you hear it?

breaking.

a million tiny bones breaking

one

by

one

crackling. crickling. snapping

i always tried so hard to hold you up.

but you,

you always tried so hard to hold me down.

and now

now is the breaking

like a small pinprick in a faded mylar balloon, struggling to keep what is left

yes

the breaking has begun