After the Assault
I begin to have panic attacks in the dance studio. I have been dancing for seven years, but now, suddenly, … Continue reading After the Assault
Month: November 2018
The Second Assault
I am still in seventh grade, but I have made two friends. A girl at school. And another girl in … Continue reading The Second Assault
Shut into the Dark
In the early 1970s, Martin Seligman led experiments on learned helplessness. He tested whether you could abuse dogs to a … Continue reading Shut into the Dark
Frank
Every story has its heroes and villains. In a story of trauma and assault, the villains are easy to spot. … Continue reading Frank
The Body Tells the Truth
I am sitting in social studies class a month or two into seventh grade. Suddenly, I cannot see Mrs. Johnson’s … Continue reading The Body Tells the Truth
When Post-Traumatic Stress Begins
I wish I could tell you that was the end of it. I held an umbrella and felt strong, and … Continue reading When Post-Traumatic Stress Begins
The Aftermath
The next memories I can place with any certainty are in the last month of sixth grade. I am with … Continue reading The Aftermath
The First Assault
My father had been my ally in the family. True, he’d done some weird shit. When I was in preschool, … Continue reading The First Assault
