Swallow

Standing there in my grief, I watched as she walked away from me and out of my life. I watched as the darkness of the night swallowed her up.

Looking down, I studied the diamond ring that she had returned. It no longer held the shine that I remembered the day I gave it to her, the day she said yes.

When I looked up again, she was gone, but then so were the street lamps, each wrapped in their Christmas best, which lined the sidewalk. Then I realized that the night and its inkiness had swallowed everything, including me.