Shower Floor | Teen Ink

Shower Floor

September 14, 2023
By jcuffaro SILVER, York, Pennsylvania
jcuffaro SILVER, York, Pennsylvania
7 articles 0 photos 0 comments

She was standing on the shower floor.

A stream of blood rushed down the drain. 

With a straight razor blade, she would selectively choose from her dad’s rusted craftsman toolbox, 

This time, she cut too deep, hitting her radial artery at the wrist.

In an unforeseen surprise but to no prior surmise- all the blood from the deep-cut 

fountains out and onto her face.

Some in her mouth and the blood she could taste; 

rested in the space between her thin lips.

Where the blood rests now runs to the corners of her thin lips:

Further past her chin 

droplets of blood fall onto the shower floor.

The shower lacks water pressure, 

bathing in her piquant sobs- irritating her open wounds.

Screaming makes the inexhaustible exertion

Go away, go away, go away. 

Until there is-

Nothing left in her, nothing left of her

To ease this- whatever this is- to then

Make it go away, go away, go away;

She has to face this inexhaustible exertion 

brought by herself.

Falling to the shower floor, it’s getting harder to breathe, the humid air filling her lungs.

Trying to catch her breath, you can see the rise and fall, upheaving in her chest.

Catching her breath- screaming again.

Giving away what won’t;

Go away, go away, go away.

On her brush-burnt knees, screaming through heavy sobs at the shower floor and clasping her bleeding wrists

Until there’s nothing left, nothing more

Whatever this is- it stays-

and it won’t- it won’t- go away, go away.


The author's comments:

“Go away, go away, go away…” a chant and protest towards the inexhaustible exertion of life. Whatever that is- whatever this is.


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