A
noisy marketplace.
Keep
your feet close or you’ll step on them
And
start a brawl,
Or
they’ll step on you and hurt you more.
Don’t
react! Hush!
Stay
calm! Stay cool! Apologize to them!
Limp
slowly away.
Don’t
look back. Edge sideways now! Careful!
Don’t
let them touch you!
They
did? Head down! Keep moving forward.
Remember
the rules.
You’re
invisible so be invisible.
Obey,
respect, salute!
Don’t
sit! Don’t slouch! Don’t run! Don’t shout!
Behave,
you fool!
Can’t
you take it? Fine. Wear the cloak.
And
vanish!
You
tripped and fell? They can’t see you.
Don’t
create a scene!
Just
keep walking. Stay invisible!
Are
you hurt?
Bear
with it soldier. Keep walking!
But
I can’t!
I’m
hurt! I need help! Please help me!
Don’t
ignore me!
Please?
I’m screaming now! At the top of my lungs!
They
can’t hear me!
I’m
a ghost. I’m still invisible.
Attract
attention fast!
There
only one way. I hope they see me.
Hear
me! Look!
I
unbutton the invisibility cloak
And
let it fall.
Stop!
Everyone freezes. A million glares.
My
voice barely audible:
“I’m
hurt. Please, will you help me?”
They’re
staring.
Every
eye on me. Roving up and down. Piercing.
I
look down.
I’m
naked. I’m exposed. I’m bleeding.
The
whispers:
“Shameless
creature!” “Put some clothes on it!”
“Bitch!”
“Want
to spend some time in bed, dear?”
Yes,
I want a bed.
I
want shelter. I want protection.
He
wants my body.
They
all want my body. No! Run! Run!
Where
is my cloak?
It’s
lost! Gone forever! No time! Run!
I
need help!
There
is no help. There is no prince.
There’s
no fairy-tale.
Only
blood. Only violence. Only darkness.
Darkness
is inviting.
I
slip into the shadows. Death welcomes me.
I
stop. No!
I
don’t want to die! I don’t! No!
I
want to live!
I
want to love! I want to smile!
I
hear it,
The
sound of raging testosterone behind me,
The
Grim Reaper
In
front and chaos all around!
To
my left
A
brick wall. A dead end.
To
my right
An
endless road to nothingness.
I
turn right.
I
leave death and the predator behind.
And
I walk.
And
I’m still walking, on and on.
I
don’t know.
I
don’t know where to go, what to do.
But
I’m not invisible.
I’m
alone. I’m uncovered. I’m walking.
And
I smile.
I
see a heap of clothes. I put them on.
I
enter the market.
I
smile at them. They smile at me.
I
can read eyes.
They
see me stark naked, a target, a shame,
Despite
the clothes.
Yet,
they don’t see me. Even without the cloak!
They
don’t see
The
tiresome endless struggle, the still bleeding wound.
It
hurts.
There
is no help.
Yet,
I live.
Yet,
I smile. A toxic smile,
In
which, I hope, they burn
And
die.
By- Manny D
23/03/14
