Masquerade

I sit alone, earphones plugged in,
Music serenading me. I’m lost in my own universe,
In a crowded bus, going home.
The day had been fun
Just my friends and me.
We had lunch, a coffee,
The usual.
But now I’m going home.

I sit there and a process begins,
One that occurs a million times over
Everyday of our lives.
My skin begins to slough
I moult like a snake or pathetic bird,
Till I am myself.
But it’s not over, far from it.
Virulent ooze begins to coat me
A rank putrid slime seeping out of every pore.

It covers me.
It suffocates me…

Some one occupies the seat next to me
A stranger, a man I might never see again.
He takes a glance at me, just a passing one,
Nothing to hold his gaze,
After all there’s nothing there to surprise him.

The slime slowly hardens, coalesces
Around my face, my mouth, my eyes.
It’s my stop. I get down.
My mask is ready.

Silver Fishes

Ooh look into the water!
Right there! And there!
Those look so pretty, so beautiful
Such tiny little silver fishes.
Schools of them!

Oh wait, no they aren’t.
That’s just sunlight,
Reflecting off the murky, filthy water.
Nothing more.