Tough Love

Purple, black and blue devours my peachy skin and engulfs my precious soul. A dab of foundation here; a pat of powder there Long sleeves on a summer day and a well-developed lie to blanket my heart. I enter the watching world with the reminders of your love, Or the lack thereof, Hidden under a thick coat of makeup to match my skin before it was Corrupted... Polluted... Bruised... "Wipe off your tear and tape on a smile! Suit up and put on a "perfect life" persona. Curtain Call - 15 minutes til stage!", The World demands to ensure nothing blemishes its perfect society during the performance. But, I have stage fright, I s-t-u-m-ble on my words, I miss my cues I crumble under the pressure of keeping everything locked in. BREAKDOWN. Waves of hysteria pound me like tidal waves bullying a side of a cliff. FLASHBACK. My bruises burn and illuminate under the heavy veil of my powdered mask. The red swelling beneath my flawed, damaged temple shine like Rudolph's nose on a snowy Christmas eve. That''s when I remember your bloodshot eyes gazing at me with fiery anger and fury. Words thrown at me by the tip of your tongue slice the cheeks of my face and pierce the inside of my ears. Imprints of your territory are marked on the side of my thigh, my arm, my throat Tears drown my eyes and overflow my eyelids. Saltwater singed over my welts What have I done to make him angry? ...Nothing... Why are you so mad? ...Shh, it's almost over... Take it like a man! Toughen up! Respect me! Look at me when I speak to you! I move each hit, but I'm too numb to feel. I want to sleep now. He won't let me... his anger, his temper - a haze. I don't recognize you, daddy. I close my eyes after a weak retaliation. Have your way with me and let me go, I pray. I drift into unconsciousness. Sore, I awake to see the beast tamed. Escape.