a small apartment at night the only light comes from the streetlamps outside cutting through the blinds in thin golden lines she’s curled up on the couch knees to her chest staring at the faint reflection of herself in the dark tv screen the city outside is loud but in here it feels like time stopped her phone lights up on the table she doesn’t move instead she hugs herself tighter as if trying to replace someone’s arms with her own for a moment the silence feels heavy but then she exhales whispers something no one else can hear and lets the room swallow it whole