[Universe]

I, Except You

*80 line max, as agreed upon.

"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

......

Pre-op

They say you reap what you sew when you wear your heart on your sleeve
Sharp is the needle, but that's harder to see than the scar it might leave
Death targeted me, but before I even start to reach six feet...
I'll confess I was born with heart defects - coronary artery disease
My twin and I were separated at birth, then sewn up urgently
I heard that she changed her name to "Adam" after post-op surgery
Her and me were "thoracopagus twins", a two-way frequency radio
Females with this condition prevail over males at a 3 to 1 ratio
Regaining composure I asked, "Where's Adam?" like I want some good news
A doctor mused,"Your um, 'friend' perished earlier from a puncture wound"
"You'll be going under soon... If a heart's ignored it won't restart"
"It shows you are the requested recipient, as per this organ donor card..."
It felt like my chest was blown apart; my life flashed before my eyes
I have to press rewind, because in truth, everything before Adam was a lie...

A Way Together

I'm adamant by design, living life with more questions than answers
My P.I. tracked Adam to a nearby school, I of course requested the transfer
It's odd to see him as he was... We met in geography class
He stole my heart; I found it hard to even ask for my property back
In fact I hated seeing him responding to that blonde with the rack
She's a topography map - I had to honestly ask 'what's the problem with that?'
Perhaps I'll just bump into him... that will make me an obvious catch (right?)
The blonde girl will watch closely - Adam will probably laugh
It felt like a lottery scratch, but since my health diminished weekly...
That smile was all it took to give myself to him completely
His eyes are hazel, mine are green; Strange our colors weren't the same...
Blushing burnt my face, but for what came next I only have HER to blame
Behind his fake smile was laughter, and I was panicking fast...
As he man'd up and asked the blonde out, his hand on her ass
Can't get used to that crumbling feeling... tunnels collapse and yet loom
So how can you pass and get through when the other half rejects you?
It's like playing Connect Two... He teased me knowin' I'd come
Tearing holes in my chest, I folded up tent and sewed it all shut
Watching as the couple fell in love... it put me in a hell of a rut
But I wondered, by taking two lives... could I give myself one?
.

Blood Runs Cold

Was marked to die 'til the heart arrived; gas pumps what the lungs will need
The doc administered anesthetic and said, "Count backwards from 100 please..." (99, 98, 97...)
I remembered squeezing into the blonde's house in the middle of the night
A hood kept me hidden from eyesight as I quickly tucked my knife
She didn't try to fight; I find her lost stare was always aware
Not at all fair, so I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut off her blonde hair
THEN she got scared... Well fuck, she is dressed like a prostitute
The wall pics proved she had a black family... This bitch is adopted too??
Growing up I never got a room... It seems spillin' your blood's fitting
Now this slut's bitching cuz I made her down a bottle of pills in one sitting
I watched her little light seep away, turnin' her green eyes grey (wait...)
Then fled the scene just as her parents pulled into the driveway
Walked to Adam's place, buzzed, like an apartment with a lobby
My knife entered oddly, saw his last breath as it departed from his body
A piece of heart was probably rotting - This was cold blooded stuff
He lay on the floor bleeding, blood pouring from a hole in his gut
I loved him but... it's under construction, I'll lay the groundwork
Your basic coward, pressing on his neck as his pulse takes a downturn
Now there's nothing left; I started to remove his dark Nike sweats...
But when I pulled off his shirt I saw no scars on his flesh... (weird)
Nothing marked a change of sex... Pain is pleasure in the end
I'm in a gas-induced dream world, the strangest pressure on my chest...
I accepted you for YOU, yes, even when arteries were severed
Now you'll always be with me, Adam... cuz you're part of me... Forever.

A Change of Heart

4 Months Later...

Passed all post-op tests with flying colors, in fact I was better without flaws
I left the hospital's trap resolved that I never would get caught
A black woman's in the hall - Flash to the blonde's house... pictures on the wall...
She said, "I'm sorry for what Alyse did... It just isn't like her at all"
Then, "I'm not here to stir the pot but... I'm Alyse's foster m-mother..."
Her language stuttered, it's like a pin dropped, revealing pieces undiscovered
My equilibrium shuddered, I knew before she spoke I'd feel the blow
"Police said Alyse found you and Adam cheating... then tried to kill you both"
"I know God shows us the ways to go - suicide just isn't one"
"I'm not that religious but... damage was done using my prescription drugs"
"So if you wondered why your surgery happened, I figured I'd come confirm the fact..."
"That Alyse was your biological twin... therefore the perfect match"
Brain cells fired fast, a burning match - Guess I should've banked more
The P.I. I hired led me astray... You always get what you pay for
I stumbled toward the automated doors, running on fumes of cyanide
My twin was by my side, but it wasn't Adam... it was YOU the entire time
I should've recognized your greenish eyes, the brown roots showing faux blonde
But did you see me, Sis? Did you feel it? Did you know all along?
Did you hear the unspoken bond? Or were you hoping you're wrong?
No stopping the time bomb in our chest... Once it explodes then we're gone
We were meant to stick together, this is what you get for showing up God
That's why I wrote this... Now our heart can beat slow... to its song...

So long.