Gentle Hands

She flinches at hugs

She runs from love

She is forgiving of your not so gentle hands

She tells people she fell over, or some other ridiculous excuses and they believe her.

She wants them to see through her lies, but she knows the consequences.

She is tired of all senses of the word.

She can’t leave, she is scared. Scared she will never see her mother again.

So, she does exactly what you say.

Your not so gentle hands capable of killing her are getting worse.

She no longer sees the light at the end of the tunnel. She would rather die than live in this hell.

Now, she doesn’t even cry when you pile your horrible hands into her.

She's numb. Dead inside. The sparkle in her pretty green eyes has gone.

She is me. I survived.