Have you ever had something just catch you?

Right when you were off guard.

That little, spontaneous, thing.

That makes everything that made you so weak

So fragile

So lost

Come back, in one fluid movement across your mind.

And then it’s just there

That black thing

Sitting in the front of your skull, waiting for you to glance it’s way

With its patiently dancing tail calling for you to look at it

Look at me, look at me.

And then you do look at it, you have to look at it.

And then it looks right back at you.

Everything leaves your body at that moment.

Your blood, your thoughts, even your bones crack and snap as they leave

And they go back, flying through the fabric of your memories which you thought you had hidden and burned and wrapped up so well

And all of a sudden, your blood, thoughts, and broken bones are back where they last bled and worried and snapped.

Your skin can’t handle the heat of the flames surrounding your broken body.

It sets your every limb on fire

Shattering your rib cage, closing your throat

Nothing but shrieks of pain and suffering from the delusions of grandeur you’ve put in front of your eyes

To mask that thing you fear the most,

A memory.

That memory.

If you turn around, you’ll see that black creature, staring back at you.

Right now.

With your head in its clutches.