Second Hand Confrontations
12/08/98

It is a warm summer evening. The lights are out and the moonlight pours through the windows. In a bed lays a girl. She is staring and the ceiling. She is quiet. Very quiet. Hours have passed and she has not spoken a word. She has a secret. Quiet she must be. The secret is between her and herself. Examining and poking herself is how she has spend the last few hours. Nothing seems different. She begins to wept. It’s not her time. She is too young. She has lived this life as a game with no real stakes. The tears are not wet enough. Her cry is not sincere. She really does not care. The decision was made. On the outside, she is warm and soft. On the inside, feelings are jumbled. Not sure what to make of herself.

She made the decision, to face her consequences; her reality. In the morning, her secret will be gone. She does not sleep. She does not want the next day to come. His arm is used as a pillow. More like a blanket that keeps her safe. She clings tightly. She does not want to let go. She whispers, “I love you.” He rolls over squeezes her gently in his broad arms. She lets out a deep breath. His arms speak of loving warmness. They cradle her, to protect his love. His angel finally goes to bed. He cries now, for there is nothing he can but hold her tight tonight.

The time comes when it is time to get out of bed. She can not consume any food or water til’ she is done. They get dressed and ready to go. She is very scared. He leads the way for her, because it’s time to go. He does not want to take her, but he must be strong for both of them. Brave he must be. Almost there and they are scared as hell.

They walk in and take a seat. They wait for their name. Some vacation this turned out to be. They are called. They fill out the paperwork and sign the dotted line. “Take a seat and someone will be with you shortly.” They wait again for their name to be called. Those seconds turn into minutes and those minutes seem like an eternity. The moment they dreaded, they are called. They are escorted inside. The action takes place. Her dreams from now on will be full violence, blood and others things that will keep her from sleeping EVERY SINGLE night. They are all done. She found out then that she had two secrets.

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