dungeons of skyrim

a door in the earth. a heavy hinge
swinging wayward towards stone. 
the sound of two feet walking
on brittle grass.
that winter, i set my xbox up 
in the corner of my bedroom.
propped the TV on the floor against the wall.
openned the window just a crack 
to let in a slit of cold air.
kneeled to play as if it were
some kind of worship. if i'm being honest,
i made the avatar look how i wished i could.
hair shaved to the scalp & 
dark eyeliner around her eyes. she was 
thin as a blade but could wield a great sword
with ease. she walked across 
the brush fields of my heart.
i loved her like i have never loved myself. 
the movement of her animated body 
lingered in my knuckles.
controler in my hand. a tether between
my world & the map. my body fading into the sound 
of cars driving down noble street outside.
i traveled, leaving all my corners 
of soft flesh. all my fears
of the dark. all my weaknesses.
i entered dungeon after dungeon
alone & with careful footsteps. 
each room peeled itself
& left the rinds at my feet.
re-animated corpses & their restless bones.
i'd glanced over my shoulder
to check that none were coming out of my closet.
my room became so many dungeons.
boxes of treasure. my mouth 
brimming with gold. i could feel 
the swing of the sword in my own shoulders.
i smelled the must of the depths.
rats scurried past. i held the jewels i found
underneath my tongue. 
watched my healthbar replenish.
a full corridor of red. the sun on my face
as i excited each cavern. my avatar 
weeping as she stumbled to the next town 
to sleep. i laid her down.
i could hear my brother
taking a bath in the room next to mine.
his feet squeaking on the floor.
i could hear the fan on the far side
of my own room. my hands were red
from grasping. my knees tired 
from kneeling. i fell asleep
just like her but in a different world
where the dungeons cut across
& intersected in every single room
& every single body. a skeleton 
escaped from my own mouth
to stalk the hall.