12

Then

THE girl forgot, but the body knew.

The body knew hunger. A constant ache in the pit of the stomach. The desperate pleasure of licking a dirty plate just for the taste of food.

The body knew loneliness. The craving for comfort, the search for any sign of kindness. A smile from a stranger in the market was sustenance for weeks.

The body knew pain, bruise and blood and needle.

The body knew danger. The casual slap, the thunderclap of a sudden blow, the grip with no escape.

The body waited.

The girl forgot. But the body would always remember.