Aftermath

Blessings turn to curses in an instant. One flash of time passes and I am changed forever. Trust is crushed like a brittle autumn leaf and the illusion of safety crumbles next to it. Everything is different. Every single breath becomes an effort. Breath: one of the most basic elements of life. Breath is natural; we don't have to think about it much because our bodies take care of it for us. But now, I feel every moment of inhaling and it hurts. My chest is heavy like it is being weighted down by some invisible dumbbell. It is stifling. I never imagined that it could be this painful to live.