veins distended and muscles taut
the pressure mounts upon my head
and my skull caves in

black thoughts swirl and unfurl my tongue
madness injurious to those closest to me
like a viper striking with mindless abandon

i can’t stop these whispers from howling
piercing my ears
prodded like an inhuman experiment

i open my eyes and see that i am alone
with shadows that dance on the walls
thrown there by a lone lit candle

my fingers bleed from scraping them on the floorboards
i could scream but no one would help me
i was placed here to rot like a wilting flower