five moments time

you scramble back, the stone and sand biting in bare flesh
your chest heaves, rise up in down in rapid beats
one, two. . .
the crowd sings to each beat, a delight and fury
their smiles glare and their eyes flash, hungry and raw
one, two, three. . .
their cruel song ends as the lights fade and the shadows creep in
there is only one light, one sun, fed and controlled by the starving eyes
one, two, three, four. . .
with shoulders held high and crown held higher your executioner walks forward
so regal, so mighty, so powerful in the stride, but horrifying in each step
one, two, three, four, five. . .
you can only crawl so far until no chance of escape greets you
and your heart pumps, alive and screaming for life to continue on
one, two. . .
the steps stop, a cascade of golden waves of a queen turned foul
no longer dressed for the people, but dressed for death
one, two, three. . .
she speaks, the cruel cold crown turned to you but her words are whispers compared to the thunder in your ears
she stops.
she smiles.
one, two, three, four. . .
she twists and raises a blade, clenched in an iron fist
time is slow as she rises and strikes down
one, two, three, four, five. . .
you choke, your lungs beg, and your cheeks are wet with tears
the pain is cold and the blood is becoming colder on her cheeks
her eyes blaze in the shadows, golden haloed in darkness, no longer anywhere else but here
the crowd is quiet now in your fading ears
everything fades but. . .
one. . .
the crown. . .
two. . .
the blood. . .
three. . .
the smile
four. . .
the light
five. . .
the queen