The Conformist

I can’t keep it out of my mind. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be seen. There’s no other way around it. To stand out now would just be too much, it’s not like anyone would care to talk. The peculiarity is the interest. The peculiarity is the focus. The unseen monster is staring just because he can. I turn around and he disappears. But I know he’s still there, no matter what I do. He will not go away. All the monster wants is the opportunity to attack. With all his power, he is waiting for that moment to destroy me and all of my self-confidence. He is jealous of what I am, so he wants to destroy me. No, he will destroy me. I want to live. I have to leave now, while I still can. Before I’m done for. Before I’m a corpse, sucked clean of its former liveliness. If I’m just less different, more like everyone else, I’ll be a safer.