iT sTarTeD aS a WHisPeR, aN iNsiGnIfIcAnT tAuNt tHaT sLiPpEd PaSt mOsT pEoPlE's EaRs, bUt fOr tHoSe wHo hEArD iT rIgHt—ThEIR wOrLD sPlIt iN hAlF.
"JuSt gOeS tO sHoW... YoU'rE FuCkInG wEaK."
tHeY hEaRd iT iN tHeIr BONES, FeLT iT iN tHeIr LiMbS bEfOrE tHeY cOuLd PrOcEsS iT iN tHeIr MiNd.
ThE HaUnTiNg StAtEmEnT DiD nOt wOrK oN tHoSe WhO wErE aLrEaDy DeAd iNsiDe—iT cOuLd oNlY bReAk tHoSe WhO tHoUgHt ThEy WeRe UnBrEaKaBlE.
FiRsT yOu FeEl tHe DoUbT,
ThEn YoU fEeL tHe WeIgHt,
ThEn—YoU'Re SiLeNt.
No CoMeBaCkS, nO CoNtRaDiCtIoNs, nOtHiNg.
JuSt tHe wOrDs eChOiNg bAcK aT yOu,
lOoMiNg,
sLiNkInG tHrOuGh YoUr cHeSt lIkE sMoKe yOu cAn't eScApE.
ThE wOrSt pArT?
YoU kNoW iT's TrUe.
ThE oNeS wHo CoUlDn'T aNsWeR iT, wHo tRiEd To IgNoRe iT, tHeY sToPpEd MoViNg. NoT iMmEdIaTeLy. bUt SoMeThInG iN tHeIr sTeP wAs sLoWeR, tHeIr hAnDs sHaKiEr, tHeIr FiGhT—aBoRtEd BeFoRe It EvEn BeGaN.
ThE wOrDs dIdN't KiLl YoU.
ThEy MaDe YoU dIsApPeAr.
ThErE wAs OnLy oNe WaY oUt.
AcCePt It. dOn'T fIgHt It. KnOw YoU'rE wEaK, tAkE tHe HiT, sToP RuNnInG.
OnLy ThEn Do YoU rEaLiZe—
ThEy CaN't HuRt YoU If YoU aLrEaDy KnOw.
YoU sTuMbLe, YoU sTaNd, YoU fEeL tHe WeIgHt—
aNd tHeN,
YoU fUcKiNg LaUgH.
YoU'Re WeAk, bUt YoU'rE sTiLl HeRe.
AnD tHaT's EnOuGh To MaKe ThE sTrOnGeSt OnEs AfRaId.