Just Breathe

Something that may be triggering to those who have suffered sexual abuse.

Breathe in

It's late

And all I can hear is the soft purr of my cat on my pillow

The memories creep in slowly

     As they're wont to do

A trickle that steadily increases into a bright stream of vividness

Hands

     U n w a n t e d

Touching me where I hadn't yet dared

       To explore

           Myself

Lips

     C h a p p e d

Pressing bruisingly hard

       Against my skin

Breath

     R e e k i n g  o f  t o b a c c o

Tainting my clothes

       And my soul

A body

     F a r  h e a v i e r  t h a n  m i n e

Holding me down

       Arresting my ability

           To escape

Legs

     R o u g h  a n d  w e i g h t e d

Pressing achingly onto my joints

       Making escape even more

           Distant

A heartbeat

     M y  o w n

Too fast

       Galloping and flighty

           But with uncertainty

Pain

     M y  o w n

Seeping into my nerves

       And weighing down on my limbs

Fear

     M y  o w n

Making the tips of my fingers

       Numb

           And shaky

Breath again

     M y  o w n

Hitching in my throat

       Gasping against the terror

A voice

     M y  o w n

Trying, trying, trying

       But far too small to call

           For help

It's not until I'm sitting up

     Crying

           Skin tingling where he'd o n c e touched me

That I realize

     I am no longer

           Asleep

Breathe out

Reviews

[Periac]

brilliant actually how you were able to tell this story
i hadn’t known the subject until after it played in my head

very powerful