Dimensions Of The Heart

Dear Achilles

I watch as they bring my cold, bloodstained corpse to you.

I hear you scream, seeing you reach for the sword no longer at your side, for you had given it to me, to slit your own throat before you realized it was no longer there.

I watch as you collapse to your knees, screaming in agony as you cradle my body tightly in your embrace.

I watch as you break, drowning in grief.

How I wish to call out your name and say that I am here as your cry out mine while tears cascade down your face.

I am here, Achilles.

I cry silently without tears, as my soul aches and bleeds for you. I try to embrace you, but my arms pass through you.

I am only air, a lingering soul, an incorporeal existence.

Achilles.
Achilles.

I whisper your name, reaching out to you but you do not see, you do not hear.

I see the rage, the grief and vengeance as you place my corpse on the pyre and my body burns to ash.

I am still here.

You tell the men to mix our ashes and bury us together once you die.

I can do nothing to stop you from hunting down Hector and slaying him.

I am forced to watch as Paris' arrow strikes true, by Apollo's guidance, and pierces through your heart.

I watch you smile as you fall to the earth, welcoming death and lying so still.

Achilles.
Achilles.

My other half, my heart. I am still here. I beg the others to give us peace together. I haunt their dreams but my pleas go unheard as I watch them erect your tombstone with your name, Achilles, already carved into it.

I am here, without you. A lingering soul full of memories of you, of us.

How I miss you, Achilles.

The Greeks set sail, leaving the island and it seems I will never know peace with you, Achilles.

I cannot be by your side after all...

Time passes, though I do not know how much, when your mother comes to stand before your tombstone. I have not felt such hatred for her in such a long time.

She gazes at the scenes of your tomb, all there is, is death. She reaches as though to touch them but I cannot allow it, cannot bear for her to do so.

Thetis, I say.

She jerks back, flinching and vanishing.

She returns later. Thetis. She does not react to my calling her name, only stands and stares at your tomb in silence, with my soul standing by your tomb, I study her for a moment.

Thetis.

Thetis. I am buried here within your son's grave. Our ashes are buried together.

She doesn't respond.

Everyday she comes. I watch her sit at the tombs base.

I wish I could make her leave but I cannot.

But I can still hate her if nothing else.