Second Wind

CAVEAT:

This is a story about trauma and the work of recovery.

Themes of rape, brutalization, and dehumanization are present, but they are inferred rather than depicted. This is intentional. The story is not interested in reenacting harm for impact, only in examining its consequences and the process of healing afterward.

If these themes are difficult or unwelcome for you, this may not be the right story to read.