It's safe in here.

As I sit and watch the blurry faces pass.

Occasionally someone will come up to the cage. Stick their hand through to touch me.

I shrink in the corner, avoiding their fingers. It's not safe. My heart tells me. Don't go near them.  It repeats over and over again.

You remember what happened the last time.  My mind reminds me.

Yes, the last time.

When I walked to the door of a smiling face. He opened my cage door, and I walked out. Slowly his fingers slid up my chest, stopping at my heart. All of a sudden his hand disappeared in my chest and he pulled out my heart.

Mildly beaten and bruised it thumped in his hands.  He looked at it and smiled. Then he threw it on the ground and stomped on it.

I opened my mouth in a silent scream. Hurriedly I picked it up and held it close. I retreated back to my cage. Never again, I thought, will I leave this cage.

Now here you are. Smiling at the cage. Baiting me with your kindness. I'm just too afraid to get close.. Again.