"With thee, my brownie, I'll commune,
And give thee kisses cold as the moon,
And with a serpent's moist embrace,
I'll crawl around thy resting-place." 

– Charles Baudelaire (translated by Cyril Scott)

__ 

Night 1: Beginning observation. Hands are cold. Eyes wet. The color of dust. 

Looks like a girl. Might be a woman, my age. No shoes, feet are soiled above the ankle. Centipede crawling around there. I couldn't handle such a thing myself. I've got a sensitive stomach. 

Oatmeal for breakfast. Milk and salt. Chewed on a bit of ginger to wake up before I came out here to Limveld – read that in a book somewhere. Must have misplaced it, it didn't work.

Woman's got clear skin like a piglet. Beautiful hair, longer than mine. Had to cut it. $20. 

Something about her family, I hear. All dead. But when she picks at that lyre, the butler comes running.

Night 2: In the car all night since it's warmer. Didn't sleep much, but I see marshmallows when I close my eyes, husband on occasion. Sink needs repair 

They call her the Revenant. Poor bastard told me. Left this note on my window: "Doll of the daughter of an aristocratic family that faced ruin. On a fateful night, her soul took possession of the doll's body, and she swore to avenge her disgraced lineage." 

Didn't know how they knew I was watching – checked my compact and my eyes are cranberry red. God. Smudged on some lipstick to make it look like I was matching

Gotta fix the tear in my sweater. Favorite one, too. Angora wool. Bunny hair

The doll is covered in flowers. Blue and cream halo. Dress is white like fear. She'd be an angel if she weren't killing. Sticks to the back. Pulls the dead up from the ground like onions

Need coffee – none out here. I keep thinking I smell mom's omelettes but I don't. 

Night 3: Marshmallows. Again. Hot center. Like the Earth. Crumbling brown sugar on the outside part. Like the earth

I was 19, in the library. The windows were open and he came in. Scared the soul out of me and smiled, front tooth missing. Shoved two fingers. Dragged my soul out, really, by the boots. Well, I was wearing Mary Janes with the buckles loose 

Quit cigs last week but need one badly thinking about it. 

– 

Couldn't sleep again. Gave up on anonymity around sunrise. Rabbits running all around the car. Part of me worries they'll get stuck between the wheels, other part is hungry

Can't stop watching her. My eyes are stop signs but I can't. Can't sleep. She's been looking through me. Hear her in the back of my mind 

take it off take it off take it off 

Only wear these nylon stockings because my mother tells me to take it off take it off take it 

Had this skirt since 8th grade. Might be too thin for it now take it off take it off take 

_

The Nightlord comes in a haze. Greatsword in his hands. She sends ghosts after him and turns death into a shield. Never thought of it that way. I don't mind letting her 

Take my strength from these take it take it take it damp palms

As the dew makes heart shapes in the grass 

I give her my 

Spine leg nose fist knees hand 

And it's that simple, child, you look for meaning where you want it; you play pretend, hoping to find the body