paranoia

I was paranoid- not because I wanted to be, but because danger didn't knock, it just walked in. I watched shadows like clocks, counted seconds between raised voices, read faces like survival manuals. Trust was a risk I couldn't afford. Peace felt like bait. Even silence made me flinch- because calm always came right before the storm. I triple-checked locked doors, memorized exits, played out every what-if before I ever said hello. They said I was anxious. Said I needed help. But I didn't need pills- I needed a world that didn't make fear feel like home.