Ice hangs over the room

locking in a permanent winter

moss leaves no trace of a wall behind,

the few and rare gap’s fingers trace leave a disturbing, sickly impression on skin

the floor,

natures clutter is dark and unidentified

one can assume the top cover is a frozen water form, although varying with texture

crunches of snow echo

or is it the chattering of teeth?

maybe the sound of malnourished bones

or tendons giving their last breaths to keep triking

ringing hypnotizes ears, piercing and suppressing the last decent sense

occasionally, sounds of the wifes singing will fill in the low frequencies

knees will give in, all energy will be wasted

of what feels like decades of walking,

waiting for help to arrive, waiting for the path

a faint glow reaches from a distance

a low, secretive and empty feeling finds home in stomachs

corneas fried by the sudden, almost nuclear light ahead

so faint, but trembling in the dark for years has weakened eyes to almost extinction

the exit is near, supposedly.

a sound of silence, the loudest yet

another century of stumbling through the ice, slipping of rocks and joints,

intenstines so empty, churning and eating away

the children laughing at the infamous dad joke about being hungry bounces in heads.

the pain is unbearable

decomposing?

yet so soothing, an odd comfort

balance is lost, drunken steps

screeches of ice in ears deafens until they must have quit

a day of bracing walls for support

a fall, a knee betrayal, a slip of the hand

and its all over.

a minute of silence, heartbeats so weak a chest can’t even hum

throats of dry ice choke on what little oxygen lungs will allow to visit

ahead, the light is blinding and refuses to hint at what might be awaiting

a voice can be heard, pounding as deafness is relieved , claiming to belong to a rescue team, echoes in the walls and ears

a voice so loud bones vibrate

adrenaline begins to distribute

dethawing blood and tissue, providing final pushes to a perceived exit

no mistakes yet, so close to finishing the remainder of a life with a beautiful, loving family.

soothing smiles of the wife replays, the children’s laughter, aromas of family dinners eat at your stomach

safety is once here, after decades of waiting.

a shaky sigh and continuing the plan, now beginning to abuse what little hormones are keeping this body from giving in

the rescue effort is still pursuing, yells bouncing off the walls

reaching for the bag

an emergency fire must be in here,

maybe a whistle?

shuffling through the bag

skipping any alerting items,

removing whats left of the loved ones, managing to keep a few favorites parts of each in pockets and hands.

that small hope, a reminder of whos waiting , to help provide the little energy needed to make it out.

shakily,

turning around, continuing this new forward

marching until legs finally give in

trembling hands start removing the small pieces of family

now, its just waiting.

a sigh of relief is exhaled, finally going home

frozen fingers interlock with the wife and children,

patches of bruises and broken skin, chipped nails

stain the beautiful skin once remembered,

as weak as one could be, finishing the last item, a dog paw resting on a calf.

clumps and matts of clotted blood litter the hands, maggots freezing outside of the bag.

fingers loosen as its finally time to complete the testament of love to one’s creator,

one grand and final sacrifice, the strongest apology one could give,

wishes are granted as the freezing is melting skin, a soothing release

heartbeats are no longer audible even to self, and breathing slows to match the pace.

unfortunately, the physical form lost and freezing, will not spare the immortal spirit from the scalding punishment, deemed deservingly.