The Path

I walked. Step by step.

And noticed the pressure in my chest easing.

How each gust of wind on my skin
seemed to carry a piece of it away.

How the sun felt almost too strong on my cheeks.

That pull
that had taken over before,
almost driving me out of my mind,

the spiral
of thoughts that stick,
that won’t let go.

I took off my shoes first,
then my socks,
hoping to finally feel more.

I felt something.

Sharp.
Damp.

The ground kept changing.

I walked a little further.

Then that crawling sensation on my skin.

My heart started to beat.
Faster.

I tried to stay calm.

My gaze moved slowly,
almost cautiously,
toward my left foot.

And then it was there.

Unbothered by me.
Almost indifferent.

I watched it for a moment
and noticed that I didn’t step back.

It was simply there.

My mind grew quieter.
My thoughts clearer.

I stood there, barefoot,
the ground cool,
uneven.

Samu