it has been a year since you touched me
and within those blurry days left in between,
I have learned myself
right and left, up and down
and though it was hard,
the black and blue parts of me have faded
to the pink flesh native to me

the days pass quickly
and I learned that healing is possible
but I can admit,
my scar tissue still burns with the
mere thought of you
any breath I take can easily become shattered
my inhale coming calm
my exhales leaving ragged, panicked
I am still under your advantage

three hundred miles away
from you,
from that dark night in the backseat of your car
and still, there is not one moment where I forget
not a night that doesn’t cease to scare me,
and I hold my arms close to my chest while I walk
hoping that enough compression will
prevent the blistering of my insides  

you haven’t left me yet.
I remain haunted,
and you are worse than any ghost
more fearsome than any demon
but please, upon reading this

I AM STRONGER THAN THE HORRORS YOU LEFT ON MY BODY AND MIND.