“I'm not flailing now, as my muscles are rigid with the tension of holding myself together.”
“my muscles are rigid with the tension of holding myself together. the pain over my heart returns, and from it i imagine tiny fissures spreading out into my body. through my torso, down my arms and legs, over my face, leaving it crisscrossed with cracks.”
“The closer she hip sways to me, the taller and tenser I stand, until I'm so rigid my muscles ache.”
“Please don't tell me to relaxit's only my tension that's holding me together.”
“I close my eyes. My bones sob. Throb. I'm so weary with tryin to hold myself together. Tryin to hold back the darkness.”
“My breathing begins to slow. The tension in my muscles starts to relax.Then, a click in the headphones. A slow breath of air.I open my eyes to bright moonlight.And Hannah, with warmth.Thank you.”