The waters know what it means to be battered to and fro.

How it feels to constantly be moving, always on the go.

They froth and crash and pound and beat and ripple and.

They never seem to stop. Like blood running to your hand.

But even blood stops eventually, it gets a break after years.

Everyone dies. And the movement gets replaced by tears.

They aren’t eternally moving, though they do know pain...

_We knew that we shouldn’t have wandered around at night._

**Paths lined by blood red flowers**

_We knew that being together was more dangerous than being alone._

**Pairs drawn by unknown powers**

_We didn’t know where we were going._

**Taken to a cave so deep**

_Didn’t realize what we were doing._

**Where monsters lay souls to sleep**

_We should have._

**Two go in, and one comes out**

_...

I woke up to a large crack of lightning and jumped up, my adrenaline rushing. Blinking, I look around at the dark room until another crack had me tripping over the slippers I keep by my bed. Clumsily falling to the window, I check outside for the storm.

Nothing. The sky was peaceful and the sun would be up soon. I frowned but flipped around as another crack sounded. A few smaller ones followed an...

Some days I just need to get away.

Away from people.

Away from drama.

Away from reality.

When my boss gets mad.

When my mom and I fight.

When I know I screwed up.

I need somewhere to disappear.

A place where I can curl into a ball and pretend that everything’s fine. Or bawl my eyes out.

Or listen to music. Or draw. Or just simply relax.

People need me too much. Always calling my name.

I nee...

“If only this world had shown me a little more mercy…“

I close my eyes, letting tears fall as I kiss the locket my mom gave me. When I open them again, I’m looking up at the stars, the wind whipping my hair around me as I fall.

“I‘m coming Ma, just wait…“...

Why do you always blame me?

“What did you do?”

It wasn’t my fault. It never is.

Everyone’s attacking me.

“What did you do?”

Nothing. Why don’t you help me?

I‘m not the same person anymore.

“What did you do?”

Why did you change me?

I’m sick of your manipulation.

“What will I do?”

Anything, now that I’m free from you....

I can see her making faces at me from the corner of my eye, trying to get my attention. Instead of looking, I keep my eyes forward and focused on driving.

“Look at me!” She yells.****

****

****

**NOBODY gets to talk to me that way.**

_She was just joking, chill._

__

__

**No, that’s not okay. She doesn’t get to tell me what to do.**

_She’s my friend. I know that she doesn’t mean it like that._

_...

When I walk down the street, not everyone recognizes me. That is a relief.

People who _do_ know of my condition will often stare at me as I pass. Watching me as if I were a mutant freak.

I don’t know, I guess I could be.

If I’m ever wearing anything that shows skin, people will see the scars that I have. They give me similar looks, even if they don’t realize what they’re from.

What makes me so...

I followed Erika through the door. The apartment was small, but it didn’t seem cluttered. There were plants everywhere, which made me smile. Erika adored plants.

My eyes landed on a picture of her and Finley, our five year old son. They both looked happy, smiling in the photo. My smile grew but got a sad tint.

Erika gave me a nervous smile. “What do you think?”

I enveloped her in a hug. “I love...

Hollow body, they took my soul,

Went and tortured it right out of me.

Crumpled in a corner, eyes are dull,

Because darkness is what I breathe.

My inner demons are my best friends,

The only things that I’ve still got.

Them consuming me is how this ends,

I know better than to say it’s not.

They locked me up because I’m insane.

Broke my spirit with a heavy chain.

Shadows crawled up inside my brain....