STOCKHOLM SYNDROME
I am so little myself that what they do with me scarcely interests me. -Antonio Porchia
Yesterday, you ripped me from the life that I knew to be so good and perfect as it was, and you transplanted me into this dark and dank room that I suspect may become my tomb; you have threatened my life and well-being and trapped me in a hellish scene that even my worst nightmares couldn’t have conjured on my darkest day, and you act as if you have done me a favor by not ending my suffering; it is filth like you that taints the image of a pure humanity where all people do good to their fellow man – you are the epitome of shame and indecency.
Today, you are providing me with basic necessities with a kindness in your eyes that was not there when you disturbed my regular days but it gives me a pang of relief that I’d almost forgotten; you are sitting with me during my grizzly meals and asking me questions about my thoughts and feelings as if I am your equal rather than your captive which makes this prison seem like a cellar where I must weather the storm; you have shared your struggles and trauma and the reason for your crimes, but despite knowing that you have done a great wrong I can understand the path that you walked leading you into darkness blindly; I feel bad for your misfortunes more so than I feel bad for mine.
Tomorrow, you will bring me blankets and bandage the wounds caused by my rusted shackles because you can see that my skin is infected and that I am in pain; you are going to treat me to coffee and even intend to bring a card game for us to play while we lie in wait for the inevitable debauchery of the law caving in our established routine; you have promised that when the time comes you will return me in good health and that you want me to remember our time as a necessary evil to fight the corrupt system that drove you into the madness that perpetuated your heinous actions, but I cannot agree or disagree because I cannot imagine a time when I will be anywhere else but here; you hush me as I start to worry about what will happen when I am questioned by authorities to testify against you and what will happen if I contribute to your suffering when you have already been caused such a great pain by so many others already; you hug me into a lull until I forget that there will still be another tomorrow.
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