Sometimes you can't keep up the facade.
There are days when the mask shows its cracks,
And all the little things creep up to the surface.

Every dark emotion,
Every shadow,
Swallows you whole.

The despair is exhausting,
But also sickeningly soothing,
And cathartic.

You want to scream and cry and hurt,
Your muscles feel spent with grief,
And your head throbs with disappointment.

There is nothing to do but let it all out.
Let it out.
Everything.

But sometimes that's not enough.
The hurt doesn't stop.
You know you're doing it to yourself,
But it's overwhelming.

You've held it in too long,
There's too much.
The water won't stop flowing.
The blood won't stop pumping.

It's everything the world doesn't see,
Everything that is hidden behind the mask,
Hiding under the smiles and laughter.

It's every bad thought and negative moment,
It's every time you felt the grasp of failure on your neck,
Of desperation and loneliness holding you underwater.

You helplessly curl up in defeat,
Clutching at your hair and biting your lip,
Praying for release.

Are you there?