stark reality
lashed;abused;brutally murdered
and i thought
i died (with it, and it was me, not dying
fast enough)


and some rogue gangsters came
and abducted me





and suddenly i find myself infused in remnants of my old life
when i still really
lived


but i can no longer find tears of gratitude to hide my trembling hands
clutching theirs till we all bled
guilt and comfort
mingling

all we do
is find solace
in each other
even as floods of curious people ooze past us
thinking we're just 3 effervescent greek lesbians









we're not. we're HUDDLECLIQUE subsidiaries
and i find a little of my darkness
has lifted.







i give thanks
for true friends
who care enough
to go beyond the customary
"how are you"