“Achilles come down, won’t you

Get up off, get up off the roof?”

“You’re scaring us, And all of us

Some of us love you

Achilles, it’s not much but there’s proof”

I stood there, my hands quickly tying and untying a rope under a sturdy tree, the night dark and the stars gone. Just 5 minutes was the place I lived, but I couldn’t call it home. I told my parents I’d just go out on a walk and I’d be back in an hour, but I had no intentions of being here in the morning.

As I tied the knot for the 3rd time, my heart was racing and the world seemed to spin. I decided to call my friend… her voice always seemed to calm me down.

She picked up, a note of concern in her voice. I didn’t tell her what I was planning on doing, but instead ranted about my day. She knew something was off, but didn’t confront it. After what seemed like seconds, my time was up and I had to go back. I thanked her for listening and untied the noose as I walked back home

“Hurt and grieve but don’t suffer alone

Engage with the pain as a motive”

The moment I stepped into the house, I was reminded of why I left. Shouting and cursing ensued from both my father and my mother, and when I tried sneaking upstairs, I was wrung into the argument.

“‘WHY THE F- WEREN’T YOU HOME SOONER?? YOU HAVE SH- TO DO YOU USELESS STAIN!!” yelled my father.

I ignored him and tried to continue upstairs, but that was a bad idea. He grabbed me by my shirt and threw me to the ground. I curled up in a ball and let the pain crash over me, something I was numb to at this point. After what seemed like hours, morning finally came and I left for school as soon as I woke, planning my great escape from it all.

“Crowned by an overture bold and beyond

Ah, it’s more courageous to overcome”

“Clothe yourself in beauty untold

And see life as a means to a triumph”

On the way to school, I saw her walking down the street and I caught up with her, playfully scaring her as I got closer. We laughed it off, but the atmosphere suddenly got serious.

“Are you ok? You only call randomly when something’s going on. If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s ok but please stay safe. You can stay with me if you need”

I stayed quiet for a moment, then decided to take up on her offer. 

“I’d rather not say, but I guess you have a roommate now!”

We joked and talked on the way to school and I finally felt accepted. I left that hellhole of a house. An unbelievable amount of relief crashed over me, all the pain and anxiety I felt suddenly washed away. I was accepted… I was loved.

I’m stronger than I’ve ever been

And my armor, is made of steel, you can’t get in”

“I’m a warrior

And you can never hurt me again”