december nightmare

the black widow spider could not be pried from my tongue. the red hourglass gleamed from the mirror's reflection, the mark of bloodied time skulking in a cavernous mouth. they prodded with metal instruments until finally half of the body was excised, while the other half remained stubbornly affixed--a blackened lump with thin protruding legs, shuddering as if they were crawling upon my tongue. i felt the venom swell in my tongue, lips, my throat as i sank to the floor, listening to the air whistle through my narrowing windpipe as i watched you delivered a wordless speech at the front of the classroom. you showed no notice of the dying animal before you, just stood there with your glazed eyes staring straight at nothing at all as your mouth emitted empty puffs of carbon dioxide. breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, bre