i was raped, too sexually assaulted in seventh grade, tenth grade. the summer after graduation, at a party i was 16 i was 14 i was 5 and he did it for three years i loved him i didn't even know him he was my best friend's brother, my grandfather, father, mommy's boyfriend, my date, my cousin, my coach i met him for the first time that night and- 4 guys took turns, and- i'm a boy and this happened to me, and- ...i got pregnant i gave up my daughter for adoption... did it happen to you, too?

They yell at me because I can't see what they see. Nobody can explain to me why my eyes work different than theirs.

I inscribe three lines, hush hush hush, into my skin. Ghosts trickle out.

Each reader has to find her or his own message within a book.

A breath of steam trickles out, filled with the sobs of a grown woman breaking into girl-sized pieces.

I wanted to pull down a book, open it proper, and gobble up page after page

Can't escape pain, kiddo. Battle through it and you get stronger.