The Nevers

Never, was the word she heard. Spinning endlessly in her head.

Never was the word her mother used most often, never this and never that. Never draw outside the lines.

Never was there a word she hated more. From such a young age it dominated her, limiting her life. Her mother didn’t mean to harm. She didn’t want her to fall prey, she only meant well.

But the damage to her was still there. Imprinted on her brain. Her psyche. Her world shrinking year by year until, now she dared not go out. Never ever.

Her mother had succumbed to a never. So how was she to avoid them. These “Nevers” were everywhere. Down that alley were plenty of them, hiding there in the shadows. Crossing the street made her heart race. All those nevers chasing her.

Now she was alone with all her nevers, gifted to her at such an impressionable age, long ago.

Soon she wouldn’t even be able to look out the windows, so great was her fear. If she only knew, if she could only find a way past. Her dead mother and all her nevers.

She longed for an escape, the child within still wanting to run. Still wanting to explore. Still wanting more.

Could she form a plan? Some thing to break this hold on her that the nevers had.

In the end or was it the beginning it started with something small. One of the first nevers she could remember.

So she went and jumped on the bed.