The Revenge of One Humiliated
And yet it is lodged deep inside me like a poisoned thorn.
And behind it, another thought rises , stronger than logic, more visceral than fear.
It is an innocent being.
The realization strikes me full force, stealing my breath. This cluster of cells, this beginning of life, the consequence of a night of violence and confusion… is innocent. It asked for nothing. It chose neither its father nor its conception nor the shame in which it will grow. It is here, silent, vulnerable, entirely dependent on me.
A fleeting, painful image flashes before me: tiny fingers, a soft breath, a heart beating in time with mine. A life. My life.