My Attacker's Doppelganger

It's been months without seeing his face,

How he smiled a little too wide,

His teeth sharp with appetite.

It's been months without hearing his voice,

How he spoke a little too quietly,

His lips burning my skin.

How is it that I haven't seen him in months,

But he follows me everyday?

How can I still feel him when he isn't here,

How can I still hear him when no one is talking,

How can someone be there but gone at the same time?

I thought I would be rid of this nightmare,

The fear he will come back and eat me entirely,

Finding more and more until he is completely satisfied.

How do I just forget him when he's what I'm searching for?

The man who hurt me the most,

But I see his face in others.

Across the room, looking down,

He doesn't know I exist,

But I know he does. All because of him.

How can I want someone who reminds me

Of the man who almost killed me?