someone
I FELT LIKE MY EYES WERE GLUED SHUT.
THE TINY VERSION INSIDE OF ME PUSHED.
AND PUSHED.
AND PUSHED.
BUT MY EYES WOULDN’T BUDGE.
I CALLED FOR HELP TO THE FAMILIAR HANDS BEHIND ME
AND NO ONE STEPPED FORWARD.
SO I KEPT PUSHING
AND PUSHING..
AND PUSHing…
AND pushing….
no. no. NO.
I WILL KEEP PUSHING
AND PUSHING
AND pushing..
and.. pushing….
and…….
then you stepped up.
so i used the last ounce of soul and strength left in me
and pushed one last time
your hands next to mine
my eyes slid open as though they were coated in grease.
as though it was the easiest task in the world.
all i needed was a second set of hands -
all i needed was someone to push with me -
all i needed was - -
someone.
but by the time you arrived
i was too tired
to keep my eyes open.
- on asking for help after sexual assault
written by Elizabeth Gifford | @lizgifford
