the ghost

I glanced over my shoulder for no more than a solitary heartbeat when I saw your ghost. A deluge of emotions ran through every vein in my body -- neither sadness nor happiness, neither regret nor yearning. The emotions were just emotions -- crude, overt, raw.

I felt naked.

I stood frozen, rooted to the ground with only my eyes following the vestiges of your soul. It was after that same solitary heartbeat that I gained freedom from my emotions' solid embrace.

My eyes followed you.

Until you were lost amongst the crowd.

It was then that I knew that the ghost exists and the past is not dead.