Leaves the womb again – kisses her goodbye. Immortality flows through his veins as he steps onto his armoured yacht and sails to safe mediocrity… again. No matter – time is on his side. The clocks run backwards now, but he breathes on in sweet ignorance. Each gifted breath exhaled over a coffee stained keyboard, under the gentle glow of old phosphorous. No matter – time is on his side. Time to live. Time to be. Time to begin again.

Slipping ever so slowly along this clogged artery now, screaming. Transience lingers in the air like heavy fog. I smell rust. Slowly red fades and the film develops itself. Blink. Immortality picked undone as easily as we dreamt it up. The insect has gone –vanished under the heel of fate. I taste rust.

A link is broken – the endless widow and her fatherless son. Chains reform, clockwork re-engages and the world turns again. Shall we dance? For now I hear the rhythm of this fragile, fleeting countdown we have named life. Perhaps tomorrow. Time is on our side.

Raj