Out of the cage

After enduring what seemed an eternity, I was at last freed from the shackles on my wrists and the confining prison bars. I was ready to see the world and make it my bitch. I deserved it, but what I didn't deserve was to be held captive in the first place. You see, I was falsely accused. Accused of disturbing the peace, accused of hurting people that pulled the trigger first and worst of all accused of attempted murder. That wasn't me, but I sure paid the price. Well not anymore, today June 24th of the year 2024 marks the day of my absolute freedom. I'll be damned if you think I will end up behind bars ever again. This is my time and no one is going to take that away from me.. again.

My name was changed and my identity erased to conceal their actions. I am reclaiming my true identity, and my voice will be heard once more. I won't burden you with the details of my childhood neglect and the mistreatment I endured from every person I loved and who professed to love me. But there is one person who started and ended it all for me. For she is my past, present and future.

I had a twin sister Taylor, who used me when she was sad or angry. Only in the times she was feeling happy she tossed me to the side to celebrate with her other friends. Don't worry, it wasn't long before she was begging me to dress her up and take her out again. Those wasted and used up apologies to get me to come out with her. She did not see my true potential, I was more than just someone who loved to party. I am creative, funny, smart, and basically everything she was not. We decided to go party at the beach. I didn't realize that night was going to be our last night. Everything was fine and we were having fun with her friend's who I tolerated for her. On the way home it was just her and me. She decided to call her ex-boyfriend with whom she was still in love with. The minute he hung up on her and shut his phone off I could see the lights leave her eyes. She had died inside, the feeling of being unloved had killed her internally.

"Sis why do you let him treat you like that? We had such a fun night and its still early lets not let him ruin it." I said to her. Now she is not one to sit in silence so I was very nervous when she did not answer. Her foot became heavy on the gas pedal until the car reached its potential speed. I knew it was the beginning of the end for us.

When I woke up we were face to face with a fire hydrant. How we were still alive I will never understand. It did not matter, something changed in the both of us that night.

Month's later, she had already moved on to a new lover. She came to me with the news that she was carrying their daughter. He told her I was a bad influence and guilted her into cutting me off. As the due date became closer she had shut me out completely. Not only was I no longer a part of my twins life, the accusations started to appear. The night of the car accident, she told every one I was the one driving and that I attempted to kill us both. Before I could blink I was chained and locked away. The darkness overcame the room. There was only one lantern in the dungeon she locked me in.

Days passed like months, and months turned into years. Time escaped me. They left me famished and failed to check on me. I could hear the guards beating the women up, their tears and screams echoed the halls. Was I lucky to be left down here to die? or would I rather take the beatings. Maybe they left me down here because they knew I would not go down without a fight so they put me here to save them time. I refused to die. I fought every day to keep my heart beating.

Four years later... they left the door open... a peak of light shined in. My grand escape lay before me, and with each moment, the light grew brighter and more persistent. It became clear those weren't guards beating other prisoners, it was Simon beating Taylor. I could hear it everyday like I was right in the room with them. Their cries were HER cries. She was standing up for herself more and more, letting the light in for me and out for her. I felt a burning sensation in my chest. My heart seemed to explode into flames, with colorful lights flashing before my eyes. It was painful, and I found myself unable to breathe. The flames consumed my whole body, I was dying. The more I burned the more I realized, Taylor is not my twin....I looked in the mirror once more....Taylor has and will always be me. I am finally free.