Whispered words not to be heard,

A secret pact between you and yourself,

Your thoughts hardly heard or understood as they slip into the darkness of the night.

The words slip, then cling to your lips in hopes that they can crawl back into the safe place where they once were.

(Whispered) HELP ME!

They don’t want to let go and be set free for fear that they will cascade into the ears of someone near--

For fear that someone will learn the secrets that you have bottled up inside.

For fear… for fear…

Fear is the thing that holds me back

Fear is the thing that wraps around my neck like a noose and chokes the life out of me.

I tell my self to be strong and not be afraid, but these words are obsolete against the demon that's rooted in my brain.

Who am I but a child in distress, trying to survive.

Cutting out her own heart.

Creasing -- tipping -- slipping -- losing control.

An adolescent girl alone,

Grasping at invisible threads,

With the idea of death rattling inside her head.