Black and grey realism tattoo of a nail cross wrapped in wire, with the script words Only The Strong Survive, on the upper back.

Nail cross with Only The Strong Survive script

Realism · Back · Black and grey · Photo

A nail cross wrapped in thin wire sits at the centre of the design, with the script words Only The Strong Survive running down the composition. The nails and wood grain are rendered with soft grey shading and highlights, and a dark dripping shape hangs below the cross. The ink is entirely black and grey on a pale back, shot straight on with the tattoo centred in the frame.

Realism Lettering Back Cross Nail Wire Script Lettering Drip

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A story inspired by this tattoo · fiction

Dear Kieran, I finished the fence on Sunday, the one behind the bins on Halvard Close that the council keeps promising to fix. Mrs Okonedo brought round a plate of jollof for the lads doing the work, and she asked after you, so I said you were doing fine, which is more or less true for a man who has a flat and a job at the depot and a girl called Shannon who laughs at everything he says.

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I found the old box of nails in the shed when I was clearing it out. Your nan's, the ones she kept in the jar with the rusted lid. Some of them were bent and some were still good, and I sat on the step for a while turning them over in my fingers. Funny what a man keeps hold of. I used to tell you a nail is only as good as the hammer behind it, and you rolled your eyes at me, and I think now that was the only thing I got right.

The pale tower over the road has a new sign on the lift door that says Only The Strong Survive, in fancy writing, like somebody thought it would cheer people up. I stood there reading it while the lift groaned up and down without me. I don't think it's true, love. I think most of us just keep turning up.

Come Sunday if you want. There's a tray of nails in the back with your name on the lid in my handwriting, and the fence is finished, and the gate swings the right way now. Dad.