Unbroken

He stops me so that I’m the third in the line, and I am a mess of knotted curls and fresh blood. I can feel the blood flow from the cuts on my leg until I’m standing in it.

And now I wait.

I wait with these silent girls as the raging screams carry on.

I should be alarmed.

I should want to run again.

Instead, like usual, my body relaxes as I wait there. Whatever is coming, I am powerless to it. I will face it. I have no choice.

“Come back to me…” I whisper.