monsters

i believe in monsters. without a doubt. they lurk in the shadows of dark, gray places, shuffling in the quiet of early morning. waiting for an opportunity to show itself to them. knowing that patience will reap its own benefits in the end. we can try to deny their existence. we can refuse to give them validity. we can boast about our invincibility in the face of their terror. but in the end, when we're left alone with our doubts and our fears and our inadequacies, we still tremble in fear at the inevitable. the monsters will raise their heads from the deepest corners of our minds, take a bold step towards us, like a hunter stalking its prey, its senses heightened by our insecurities, honing in on our weakness. occasionally, it'll play with us like a cat with a trapped mouse. and at other times, it springs, violently and suddenly, catching us completely unaware. but no matter the method of its attack, attack it does. slashing and gnawing at us, leaving us too weak to fight, drained and worn and humbled. and each time it crawls away, satiated, we're left to wonder....why didn't it just finish me when it had the chance?