Tell me what bores you, what leaves you feeling cold and frozen and longing for the end.

Now, do your best to escape it. Dig, scratch, claw, fight, run, or scream for help until your voice turns to shredded, desperate bits of whisper.

It’s killing you. Don’t pretend it isn’t just because you’re breathing.

Don’t let it tell you to be quiet. Don’t let it tell you to sit still and keep your hands folded. Don’t believe it when it promises you acceptance, a corner office, or a mansion in the afterlife. It will never deliver.

Once you’ve given it the slip, stop and catch your breath. And listen. You’ll hear something, but you won’t recognize it at first because you haven’t heard that sound in ages.

It’s you.