Cowardice is a friend of mine.

I take advice from him,
listen to him.

I think he is right
in his ways and decisions.
I think he is right
in what he makes me do.

Run.

It is easiest way,
the easiest decision.

It is what I do
when a dark cloud
looms overhead.
I stand there
waiting for it to
tackle me
like a football player.

But,
at the last second
I run,
trying to escape
the dark cloud knowing
that it is futile to even try.

One cannot escape the
dark, ominous cloud
filled with obscure ink
poisoning one's surroundings
and especially oneself,
without having come to terms
with the black rain
that will eventually stain
my face as it falls from above.

I know this,
yet I run.

My good friend
Cowardice
will not let me face
my inevitable
dark cloud.

It's been a long while,
but shorter than I think.
Cowardice and I have been
such good friends.

I look to him for advice,
though I know his
helping hand
shall never change.

I continue,
almost as if it were
a necessity,
to run
and hide,
for it is what
I do best.

Head down,
legs churning,
the ground
is all I see.

Suddenly...

My lungs -
they're beginning
to burn like
melting iron.

My legs -
they're straining
from pain
as they're
reaching their limit.

My heart -
it's pumping
far faster than
I'd ever thought
it could.

My head -
it's coming
to the realization
that this was something
I never
should have done.

Out of the corner
of my eye I see
Cowardice hovering
over my shoulder
in the same way
my dark cloud
chases me.

Oh, Cowardice,
such a good friend
you've been.
I doubt
I'll meet anyone
like you again
for as long as I live.

It's time for me
to let you go.

I skid
to a halt,
overcome wiith dizziness
and uncontrollable breathing.

There's a ringing
in my ears
as I turn around
to finally face
my fear.

My eyes
look up and -
behold!

Sunless and dangerous,
the dark cloud
has expanded itself
very much
since the last time
I saw it.

Tenebrous and threatening,
the entity before me
nearly causes
me to heed caution
to Cowardice,
who is still
by my side,
urging me
to run away
and hide.

I don't.
My feet
are planted
to the floor.

I shut my eyes,
wishing for it to go away.

On the contrary,
Cowardice knows
just as well as I
that one cannot simply
wish
a dark cloud away.

One either runs,
or...

I open my eyes
and take
one step forward.

I begin
to walk towards
my dark cloud;
shallow breathing,
trembling hands,
but with a
back as straight
as a chalkboard.

I grasp
my grim, dark cloud
into quivering hands
and wrap them
around it.

It is like
black smoke
weaving
through my fingers.

I rip my cloud
to shreds,
converting them into
the miniature dark clouds
that I will solve
one
by
one
until they are
all gone,
leaving
my good friend Cowardice
behind.