the last of us

She had never smoked...

As their feet scarred the sand

the waves healed it. And ran over her toes,

washing the last grains away.

As she watched his hand slip into the pocket

of his grey cotton shorts She shivered, relishing the fact that his other hand

was entwined with hers.

He pulled out a cigarette

holding out its orange end to her already puckered lips.

She wanted to feel what he felt,

Every last thing.

As she coughed and spluttered the putrid smoke drifted into the back of her throat.

Her eyes watered, tears streaming down her cheeks,

her hand gripping at his fingers, never letting go.

He smiled down at her, fiddling with the ends of her hair

and flicked the ashes with a swish of his finger,

sending them into the salty breeze, and as they flew over the waves and into the horizon,

he felt her tears dripping onto his naked feet,

and kissed her one last time.