She hit me.

I stayed.

They tell me,

“You would have left if it were a man.”

That is their response to her unspeakable cruelty.

 

They do not understand that

I have already left men, completely.

And I stay there

in a space away from them,

so they do not have the chance to hurt me again.

 

She hit me.

I left.

They tell me,

“You stayed too long. What did you expect?”

That is their response to my bravery.

 

Now, I tell them nothing.

And now, there is no leaving or staying.

There isn’t anything.

There is just me,

nursing my wounds

until the next blow comes.