The sign said to stay on the path in the dark

The sign said to stay on the path in the dark,

but the rope was a heavy and wine-colored cord.

I wanted to leave more than just a small mark

in a basement where old, silent statues are stored.

I gripped the red velvet, expecting a plush,

but felt only grit and a coarse, cheapened thread.

My fingerprint stayed in a greasy, gray hush,

a smudge on the fabric that I should have let go of instead.