A/N: Not quite sure what I was on when I wrote this, and I will bet you anything that at least half of those who read this will not understand it. This is meant to be a Max/Jude ficlet and takes place during Strawberry Fields Forever. Please review and tell me what you think of my first fic.

Disclaimer: As much as I would like to, I do not own Jude, Max, or anything relating to Across the Universe. I am, however allowed to borrow them as long as I promise to be careful, and put them back where I found them when I am done.

Strawberries In The Hand

Sweat and strawberries stained cobalt silk,

Writhing and worming, it weaved its way through the gaps

Between fingers adept from years of toil and meaningless practice.

Rouge fruit,

A bloodied and ripe palm,

Sweating seeds of charcoal and lead,

Crushed in the artist's hands,

Secure in fate, allowing self to succumb to the nothingness;

No stranger to being held by the power.

Holes where thoughts once meant to abide,

Dizzy in a waking stream of delirium and exhaust.

Staining limbs and faces with blotches

Of RED sun and ending days.

Stealing glances of home as is squeezed in the ever tightening palm of reality.

Rubbings of midnight robes fade

Through the line between

That which lies in and out of the consciousness allowed.

With happiness of a canvas waiting in dust to be soiled,

Charmed and tormented by dreams of self worth.

Stretched like jam scraped over underdone toast;

Falling from thoughts.

The dregs remain to be molly coddled over,

But nothing more;

A reminder of what once was,

And what once could have been.