A Letter to Iron Man

Dear Iron Man,

                                                You don’t know who I am

                                                but you saved me.

                                                Not in the way you think

                                                I was not being held at gunpoint

                                                And you stopped the man

                                                by knocking him out.

                                                Or I was falling to my doom

                                                and you swooped in

                                                holding onto me tightly.

                                                Nor was I an innocent bystander,

                                                in the middle of an alien invasion

                                                that you stopped with your heroic friends.

                                                No

                                                It was none of those actions

                                                that you saved me from.

                                                It was something more terrifying,

                                                than all of those combined

                                                The villains in my head,

                                                raged war against my mind.

                                                Doing their very best

                                                To tear me down.

                                                I tried to fight back,

                                                reaching for a weapon

                                                a defense

                                                against their words.

                                                And as the ones I called friends

                                                Turned away from me,

                                                Their true colors revealed

                                                I found the villains words

                                                Louder

                                                Harsher

                                                Crueler

                                                I shut myself down.

                                                Screaming my lungs out

                                                Hoping my cries

                                                Were louder than their words.

                                                But nothing could stop

                                                the villains within my head

                                                from tearing me down.

                                                Shouting, crying, screaming

                                                I felt them close around me.

                                                Nothing but darkness.

                                                Pure darkness.

                                                Light

                                                A circle of white light.

                                                I gazed upwards,

                                                a suit of red and gold.

                                                The villains scattered,

                                                at the sight of the armored avengers.

                                                Shaky hands, I stood up.

                                                Staring at him.

                                                Before I could say a word

                                                he stepped out of his armor

                                                wrapped an arm around me

                                                “It’s all okay.”

                                                The light was comforting

                                                It felt warm, joyous, and

                                                            Happy

                                                            Pure Happiness

                                                Tony Stark smiled down at me

                                                He told me I was strong

                                                That I am brave

                                                That I am strong.

                                                Confused, I whispered

                                                “How am I a hero?

                                                I can’t even fight

                                                the villains within my head.”

                                                He let out a small laugh.

                                                Tony Stark told me,

                                                “A hero’s toughest battle

                                                our with their inner villains.

                                                I fight with mine every day.

                                                And with the help

                                                of those who love you,

                                                you can fight yours.”

                                                I held my breath.

                                                As he spoke those words,

                                                he gave me one last hug,

                                                and gently grabbed my hand.

                                                As the light from his chest

                                                glowed brighter and brighter,

                                                shapes of my family, and my true friends

                                                appeared all smiling at me.

                                                All of them urging me

                                                To fight

                                                To stand tall

                                                To carry on

                                                I built my own armor

                                                Of red and gold.

                                                Took one look at my villains

                                                And destroyed them all.

                                                I keep the armor on hand

                                                Ready to fight my villains again

                                                Or the villains who come after the ones I love.

                                                I will fight and protect all of them.

                                                So Iron Man, I thank you

                                                For saving me

                                                For teaching me

                                                That I am brave enough

                                                To face the villains

                                                Within my head.

                                                That I can be a hero

                                                For myself and others

                                                I am a superhero.