We sat across the table, tension gripping hard onto me every second that passed. The air was so brittle, it could snap. They looked at me straight into my eyes and asked, “HOW DID YOU SURVIVE?”
—————-
On a deeper level, there was another intense questioning going on. Our eyes became a communication system at this moment of time. There was curiosity in their eyes and fierceness in mine. They questioned,
“How much did they have you bleed?”
I stared at them with rage
“Until it was their blood glistening on my teeth.”
They arched their eyebrows with inquisition
“How long did they make you suffer?”
My eyes turned red with bitterness and I whispered
“Until my suffering paled in comparison to theirs.”
The whole surrounding now seemed to be under huge pressure. I let out a slow controlled breath in an attempt to loosen my body, and yet the burden sat there like an angry ball propelling me towards anxiety. The air was moist, and the weather turned gray, suggesting we were going to be here for a while.
Their black hazel eyes now inquired,
“How low did they force you down?”
The mere memory, made my blood boil, I clenched my jaws
“Until I visualized, that it was their throats pinned under my boots.”
“How dark did they tint your dreams?”
“Until I learned to enjoy the sound of screams.”
They became impertinent, as though ready to bring a knife to my throat just to seek the answers.
“How far did they go to cripple you?”
With a vile grimace, I clasped the table and said
“Until I made it my goal to watch them beg, while I dismantle their organs.
Until I savoured every one of their shrieks and screams.”
——————
The water sat coolly in the glass before me, small beads of water droplets sliding off the surface. The atmosphere was sweet now, the sky had cleared, I could hear the crowd move now. Loud laughter and chatters around the corner made everything back to normal.
They knocked on the table to bring back my attention. They had constricted themselves to the chairs, while inhaling the last puff of cigar. The smoke rose, and they gradually leaned in, I could tell that they were becoming impatient now. Anxious to know the already known truth. I stood up and came close to them, in a hushed tone I exclaimed, “I DIDN’T.”
I walked away.
Outraged, they took out their guns and pointed at my direction. I looked at them and waved goodbye, disappearing into the crowd of people unknown of the world’s cruelty.
-MAITREYEE TELANG
Maitreyee Telang is an 18-year-old science student. Her interest and passion include reading and learning new things and concepts. She aims to do research in the field of science so that it might help everyone around the world. Please visit Empty’s Blog and Instagram to read more of her writing.
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MasticadoresIndia // Editora: Terveen Gill 
Maitreyee’s piece is a blunt force that strikes a person across the face startling one from a reality that is a mere illusion. Victims of circumstance is a harshness that many must confront and this written work dispels any myths that come with it – we may not be victorious through the hardships but we are forged in steel when we come through them. So don’t be fooled by the screams.
Congratulations Maitreyee!
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Chilling alright. Congratulations to her!❣️
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Sometimes, people just, tear into our, wounds, with that, callousness of inconsideration of, how we feel, and, there’s nothing we can do about it, and we often, punish our selves, for what others did or said to, make us, feel, bad…
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Congratulations for your publication and for writing while you are so young. I feel great pain in this poem and a reflection of that pain in this piece. It feels like so much was taken from the writer and the writer finally decides to take back. In the end there is still some suffering but some form of peace as well. Thank you for sharing this piece it feels very intimate. Hugs and peace to you, Joni
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