Chapter 87. The Upside Down Rose

The upside-down rose dances above the concrete,

Its stem and root blackened from the trying flame.

Yet happily does it dance,

As weary as its spirit might be.

The pain of horrific torture,

Yet it shines brightly, brilliantly;

The darkness is there, but the rose persists,

Glowing that spirited, defiant red

That can only signify a strength of soul.

Every hardship that envelopes the rose

Seems to only make it shine brighter.

Surely, one day, it will outshine the sun which gives it life.

(Anxious Mane)

***

Andrew had a black rose tattoo with inverted teardrops on his chest, which he got a year after his parents' death. He went through tough times back then, having to see a psychiatrist to deal with the recurring nightmares he experienced. The inverted black rose with tears on his chest symbolized beauty and love, as well as perhaps a sign of resurrection after he had once felt so lonely and devastated in