Adena M'lynn's Voice

The space between my legs was meant to be private, a sacred territory untouched by others. Yet, before I reached the tender age of five, it was claimed by someone who had no right—a 57-year-old who shattered the innocence of my world. Dreams that once sparkled with potential faded into the background, as I was relegated to a mere afterthought, left to simmer on the back burner of my own life. He took what was never his to take, and by the age of twelve, I found myself becoming willing, my actions guided by manipulation rather than choice. It wasn’t a daily occurrence, but it happened often enough to leave indelible marks on my psyche.   Now, at 63, I grapple with the realization that my life has been overshadowed by deceit, casting me into the role of a liar. He may have passed away in 1983, but the echoes of his actions haunt me still. How does one reclaim what was unjustly taken when the thief is no longer of this world? Despite the torment, I've continued to survive, to breathe,...

In the shadow of understanding, a stark revelation unfolds, narrated by a voice once submerged in the innocence of youth. "It really was never my job to fight the bullies for you," the voice asserts, its timbre laced with the dawning of an overdue truth. In this confession lies the heart of a child who mistook responsibility for affection, who stood small yet fierce against the giants of malice, believing it was their duty to be the shield when, in all reality, the roles should have been reversed, and the protection should have been theirs to receive. "It really was never my job to make you happy," the voice continues, its clarity growing with each word. Here, the child, burdened by the weight of an adult’s emotional well-being, reflects on the unfairness of a world where a young heart felt compelled to juggle the fragile ornaments of another's contentment. This realization speaks of a backward world, where the innocence of youth was overshadowed by the hefty ex...