It twisted in her gut sourly.
It clenched in her fist with sweat.
She grit her teeth and ground them to dust.
She took the first step.
It tied around her ankles
Twisting, twisting, twisting them up.
It wove around her arms
Straining, straining, straining them against unseen restraint.
She took the second step.
With nerves on her brow she smiled, her teeth shining.
Her hands open and waving with speech.
Her stomach fluttering and eased with soft butterflies.
She stumbles.
It reaches for words it wants back.
Awful, clawed, decrepit things for hands.
It runs them along her spine.
She grasps at straws and smiles.
She takes the third step.