Coughing In

Run away, sweet child.

Run while you still are free from the heavy chains and
ropes which will skip from his long, deceiving sleeves
and fly straight to your fragile little neck.
Run away while you still can.

And be warned to never come back...

Coughing Out

Emotionally
actually, extremely
emotionally callous
there are eyes outside in
unable to love, not even nearly
healthily
anyone but itself

The creature retreats to the hidden moment
and lives by as just another
stranger in the crowd
No harm to anyone else,
and a shallow grave
on the ground.