She dared

She walked through the shopping centre, head down, hands clenched

In her pockets, not hearing, not seeing.

Around her swirled the ebb and flow of trivia and soap and life and love,

Blurred into a constant spiral of colour and monochrome.

The plastic warmth, threaded through with the scents of a working town,

Wrapped itself round her aching head, but did not soothe, and did not calm,

Instead it aggravated the sense of sickness and despair.

She felt the invisible ropes that wrenched and tore, pulling her first one way,

Then another, until she did not know which way was forwards and which back.

And like a trap, the ropes pulled her on, slowly and relentlessly, until

The net of lies and deceit were tied round her legs and arms,

And until they covered her eyes and ears and left her blind and deaf.

She sank to her knees, in silent supplication and appeal,

But there was no-one there to rescue her. No-one noticed, they simply,

Carefully and deliberately, walked round her.

(c) 2ndwitch, 15/11/11