Peers

Hushed whispers fell from nosy lips

like dying autumn leaves

as image after image

revealed the life I left behind

Life no longer

Still each scene beat blood red

filtered through stained lens

My crimson masterpiece

And I smiled

a smile that shook the room

The whispering leaves crashed down

like a brutal

murmuring wave

Wary eyes crouched behind their fearful lids

trying to make sense of me

trying to pinpoint differences

Differences that would ensure

they were nothing like me

I stole as many wayward glances as I could

greeting them before they could be tucked away

letting them know we were similar

Humans

in the same time

same place

Only difference was

which one of us

had committed the crimes.