Pop! What? It all happened so quickly. First I felt a gush of wind, and then your slightly cracked lips. You knew exactly what to do with me. But I'm an amateur. They said I am to be a healer of kisses, and cold. What an odd combination of Life Callings. Somehow, some depend their lives on my existence. And some would bring me everywhere they go. Well, I wouldn't know, until you opened me up. Every time you put your lips on my body - always so swift, so elegantly - part of me lingers on your skin. And I would feel from underneath me that you are slowly healing. How glad I am to be in this job. I love your lips!

When you breathe heavily through your teeth, with your lips spread thin, surrending yourself to her, I kept you together. When you kissed another girl, I did not complain, nor need I, because I knew I was yours. I knew you couldn't live without me. When you fought with the first girl and she slapped you, I felt the pain. Boy, I wished you hadn't done it. Why did you cheat? But she would finally kiss you again. And I still feel the humidity between both of your mouths until today. That heated kiss. I could almost hear you promise, "never again."

But one day you stopped coming for me. I wondered why. Have I not done a good job? Do you not like my taste? And my scent? Am I not enough for you, just the way I am? I hear scrambling in the room. "Where could it be?" you said. Are you talking about me? I'm here! I screamed, but I could only in my mind. I long for your lips, Master. Do you long for mine? My heart is bursting for your touch again. They did say that I am easy to misplace. I see through the fabric of your pants, as you toss me in the wash.

This is the end. I loved you. But you misplaced me. How could you? Now I shall sacrifice my life, and take my revenge.

Ah, yes! Breaking that seal... I'm so ready.

Pull my top off, yes!

Fresh air... Nice!

You like me rubbing myself on you, don't you? I can tell.

It's okay. You can use me and put me aside for later. Tuck me in your back pocket. I don't care. I'll be here. I was made for your lips.

What the heck?

Floating in a giant tub, still firmly your back burner girl.

This is not how I wanted you to get me all wet.

Next go round you have me heated.

I'm melting.

I'm melting.

I'm all done.

It was real. A life so long and genuine that most can only dream.

I remember the first time we met as I caressed her lips. Rejuvenating her dry and cracked existence. I knew then, I would try to see this through. I did not know, she would stick with me until the bitter end.

I have stayed with her everyday for 298 days. Not always needed but always around. Just in case. I have seen dear friends meet their end much sooner. Discarded and forgotten while still in their prime. It takes a special bond to make it for as long as we did.

I feel myself growing smaller and more brittle with age. My shroud tattered and dingy. Bits of dirt and pocket lint caked in corners. But when I go, I can say I was the one she didn't loose. I can say I gave her everything I could. And with my dying breath I scraped her lips leaving her dry and cracked.

I am the fully used tube.

I remember the first time I touched your lips. It was new, different, exhilarating. It was a feeling so strange to me, and yet I felt as though I should have done it sooner. It felt ... right. 

Wherever you went, I was there. So close to you, it was as if we were one. I didn’t see much of the outside world, but when I did, you were always there to greet me. And I was always ready to be greeted. 

That’s why I was so surprised.

I thought we were happy. Really, I did. If I was wrong -- if I hurt you in the slightest -- I wish you would have told me. Only a few hours have passed and I feel as though I’m being flung in all directions. Darkness is all I see and, save for the smell of you, I am in a place most foreign. Up, down, left, right. These no longer carry any meaning to me. All that remains is heat.

In my last moments, I will spend them thinking of you. As I become less of myself, I hope, in some way, that a part of me will remain with you. 

Forever.

The day has come! I finally have a mother, a father, I finally have someone who is mine. Or am I theirs? We head home in the car, I'm still wrapped up in my rough blanket, unable to see my newfound family. Once we arrive at the house, they take me to my room. It's a very bright place, I have my own toilet and sink! I love my new home. My mother begins to strip me of my clothing, uncomfortable, I wish to be deep within my pants but I can not fit. She touches me, rubs me all over with her finger and then presses me to her lips. Gently caressing her lips I coat her with my sticky self. This goes on for days, months even, before finally, I'm all used up. My mother no longer wants me, I can provide her no more pleasure anymore. This saddens me, I am now only an empty shell of what I once was, what I once had. I am tossed aside, wrapped in a smelly blanket of food and disposables. I see a used pregnancy test next to me, am I being replaced? Is the heart of my mother being stolen away by a human child? I thought that I was the one who made mother happiest, but I was wrong. Silently, I am thrust into a newfound darkness, never to be seen again.

My mood is one of balminess when I reminisce about my creation a long time ago. I was conceived from beeswax and her mate, lanolin, product of a virgin birth (or so beeswax and lanolin tried to persuade me since they hardly knew each other at the time of their coupling) in a stable-like structure called a factory. My soft cradle was cushioned with Styrofoam peanuts. Even wise men were transformed by my allure, needing, yes wanting, me daily! They never could get enough of my rounded body. Although I was transparent in my soft and pure youth, I began to acquire STD’s when I became active. (sensually transmitted daubs when I developed a tint of color in my cheeks as I blushed coquettishly) During my many mergings, I acquired paraffin and petroleum as well as other nefarious pairings. You might say I have a sordid past but I just claim that I am an amalgam of passionate linkings. Men begged to put their lips to my moisture after they slipped off my sheath torpidly with their probing fingers. I melted languidly on their mouths just like tiny chocolate M&M’s - seductive and sensual with a slight flavor which lingers in their minds. My aroma is passionate and enduring as they savor me in their dreams.

Alas, most of the chaps seem to use me and discard me when they are through without a backward glance. I feel real pain as they throw me away, just an empty vessel without purpose or meaning. I still have my flashbacks of what we once were to each other. But I must warn my sisters, waiting for their turn, that they too will have a fate worse than being an unused repository as they die a slow death as I once did. I try to persuade them to cast themselves into a fire pit where they will cease to exist before they are abused and useless. I only wish that I opted for this solution but it is too late for I am lying lifeless on the ground where I will never be found. Oh, but the hot and passionate memories I have of my youth!

You use me

covering ragged

skin

dry and cracked

and I heal you.

The barrier between

the air

and where it shouldn’t be;

the wall

the skin

should have been.

You use me

softening the kiss

or filling slow moments

in waiting rooms

and parked cars.

You use me up.

PART I

"Would you like a receipt?" the cashier said to me with her eyes staring straight at me blankly. "No, thank you. Have a good day!" I shouted as I grabbed my bag and ran for the exit. I walked as fast as I could to my car without looking like a complete idiot. I pressed the unlock button my key and opened the door and climbed into my newly painted black SUV. I quickly cranked the car and turned the heat on full blast. This winter had been rather mild but today the temperature had peaked at a measly 22 degrees. I searched through my plastic bag throwing out the shampoo and hair dye I had originally gone to the store for and finally found what was perhaps the best impulse buy I'd ever invested in. The package my hand had been scouring the bag for was found. I pulled the small purple item out of the bag. My eyes gleamed at its' beauty. "At last!" I muttered. I quickly ripped open the package allowing the tiny purple and white striped egg to fall into my hand. I had been searching for this particular flavor of Chapstick for months. I twisted open the lid unveiling a beautiful, unscathed mound of SPF 10 lip balm. As I slowly touched the cool egg to my lips I felt sweet relief. I lathered on layer and layer and placed the lid back where it once was. I sat back feeling as if my life had been completed. My nose tingled to the smell of blackberries and some unidentifiable meadow flower.

PART II

Days had pasted since I had found the true love of my life: Blackberry Bliss Lip Balm. We had already made so many wonderful memories in the few short days we had known each other. The two of us had shared numerous great times already like the countless car ride karaoke sessions and an unusually hilarious trip to Yogurt Mountain. We also shared some not-so-happy-times like when I ran over a squirrel who's time on this earth was cut way to short of my own actions. However tragedy had struck the day I forgot to check the weather. I walked outside prepared for the day ahead it was a chilly morning. I got into my car and saw my new friend as we greeted each other with a small kiss. I drove to campus and went to class as usual. Class drug by and all that could get me through the day was knowing I would soon be reunited with Blackberry Bliss. As soon as class was over I ran straight for the bus that would take me to my designated parking zone. As I hopped onto the bus I noticed I had a line of beaded sweat on my forehead. I could feel that my body temperature had risen or had it? I whipped out my phone and checked my weather app. I was shocked to see that the temperature had reached a high of 70 degrees. I ripped my jacket off as the sweat began rapidly building on my face and neck.

The bus finally reached my stop and I quickly stepped off the bus and headed towards my car. The sun beamed down onto the black sea of pavement, with every step the heat rising. I managed to crawl into my car fearing I was about to have a heat stroke and blasted the AC. My car must have been triple the outside temperature. "I knew painting this black was a bad idea." I muttered to myself. I had not realized the sun attacked black cars this much. As I reached into my cup holder I grabbed my newly found friend and twisted open his cap. "Oh. My. God." I stifled out one word at a time as my hands dropped. The next few moments felt like a life time. The gentle egg-shaped friend I had just been given the privilege of calling my friend fell to the floorboard. The sweet blackberry flavored balm covered the floor in liquid form. I closed my eyes refusing to believe what had happened. I sat there for a moment and mourned the short lived life of my friend Blackberry Bliss. I then turned to my glove compartment and pulled out a few napkins from my stockpile of various fast food labeled napkins. I began wiping up my friend up confusing tears for melted chapstick. I composed myself and headed for Target.

PART III

"Would you like a receipt?" the cashier said to me. I managed to whimper out "No, thank you. Have a nice day." I exited the store and headed towards my car. I quickly got in and busted open my new friend. I slowly looked down at my floorboard looking at the remains of Blackberry Bliss and mourned his life one more time. Then I realized I had a new friend. As the pink and white egg rolled into my palms and I stared at it and it staring back at me. I realized I had learned the do's and don'ts of lip balm storage and I said to my new friend with confidence and hopeful admiration "Hello there Strawberry Sorbet, we're going to be best friends forever!"

The End

Phew! It’s warm in here, but I can feel my edges start to cool and harden softly, filling up the space around me till I’m snug inside the darkness.

We shake and shutter, me and the others, as we’re jostled roughly into place, bouncing and bobbing along until the movement stops and the noise grows loud around us. I hear the bells chime on and off and the sounds of footsteps, heavy talking. The others disappear around me, but you pick me up and take me home with you in the end. 

With a loud pop, the light comes in, and in the blinding brightness, I can see you - the face of God. You hover bright before me, and rub me lightly across the smoothest portion of your heavenly face. I am touched by God, warm and dazzled in your light. 

But you flee from me, and before I know it I am swathed again in darkness, nestled back into nothing. 

But it’s warm here now. I am nestled and wrapped in the warm of your miraculous and heavenly hands, swaying gently with your godly movements. I am lulled into a sense of comfort, peace at your mercy. And before I know it, you are revealed before me again, shining in that dazzling light, pressing my soul sweetly to your own before casting me away again - exiling me from your grace and warmth. 

And then you are gone from me forever. The noise grows loud and a stink of fermentation fills the air. I see your face before, for one tiny moment, and see that there is only darkness about you now, little bursts of flashing light about your head like some cosmic halo. 

I feel your warmth again, but it is different, somehow changed. You are not the God you once were, and your warmth is stinking, sticky and hot. 

You cast me into darkness and I feel the world shutter and jostle about me. I feel the stinking, tepid warmth filling in around me. I picture your face, wrapped in that first, explosive glow, and think of the glory of your touch. I think of your face, as the press comes down around me and I am flattened beneath the heaviness of your abandonment and the other, careless gods like you. 

Your death is silky smooth.