Simple Simon Says

I'm thinking back to the days of waking up feeling short of breath and afraid.

Thinking back to Doe, steadying my warm, trembling hands with her cool, capable ones and telling me that whatever was outside would stay outside.That we'd done our penance. That we were allowed to be happy.   

I remember not being able to tell her that the outside didn't matter to me. That the lick of panic down my spine was the fear of what was inside - inside her, inside Silver, inside me, what engraved pattern of history, genetics and destiny we might carry inside us, inescapable, endlessly repeating.

Ave Caesar, te morituri salutant.