The Phantom

A phantom came in the night

I remember his pounding hearbeat

I remember mine. Terrified.

His hands

His voice

My guilt

My shame

I had a home until

that day.

The day the

phantom came.

IT is there because it happened

Although IT exists more like a memory of a nightmare

IT still feels so...unreal

IT did happen.

Sometimes the tears just fall,

these feeling which feel like they come from the abyss flood out.

My body remembers IT

But my mind prefers to pretend its a mere shadow

Its okay, I can just switch on the light and the darkness will go away

IT will go away.

But still, sometimes I feel his phantom heartbeat pounding

and sometimes I hear his words

and I remember

IT is there.

Sarah Quinley is a psychotherapist and counsellor, singer-songwriter, artist and poet currently based in Edinburgh. Her empathic understanding of trauma and other psychological distress inspires her work and she expresses her interpretations through a variety of creative mediums. She curates a blog accepting stories about people's experiences in therapy. You can submit your stories and visit her website here: https://www.clearlightminds.com/blog