Midnight Dresses Are For Dreaded Messes

She smiled at first
A lie upon hard lips
But even lies slip sometimes
As the edges of her grin
Dropped ever lower
She remembered the hanging regret
Above her head like mistletoe
Without the implications of future love
No, this regret hangs like the hallows
Searing its way into her heart
Until all that is left is a reminder
Of a dream
A nightmare
A ghost from her past
She takes a breath
Nightmares are only as real as you allow
She stares down her enemy
The flashbulb bursts into a thousand pieces
That etched frown stains the photograph
Truth lies captured for all time
She smiles