Silent Screams

I slap myself—again, again, again,

"Why are you like this?" I whisper,

Tears mix with the sting,

"Please, do something… I don't want to be like this."

My hands shake, my breath is tight,

"I have no path—why take that from me?"

"Why did they steal my dreams?"

"I don’t want to live this life..."

Then suddenly—

"Hey, hey, listen… don't make noise."

"What if they hear you?"

"What if they see you?"

"They could get hurt."

I freeze.

I see myself in the mirror,

Red eyes, swollen face, trembling lips.

I wipe my tears—

"Why are you crying? Don't. Just… don't."

But my reflection stares back,

Eyes heavy with a pain no one sees.

Why can’t they see behind them?

Why does no one notice?

I touch my face,

Scars burning from my own hands.

"What do I do with them?"

I smear ointment over them,

Hiding them like I hide everything else.

"Mom, it's just a reaction cream," I say.

Another lie. Another secret.

I sit in silence.

If I tell them, I’ll hurt them.

If I don’t, it keeps hurting me.

Either way…

It’s killing me from the inside.