Madness and Women
Stories
Poetry
flavored coffee
his relapse prevention class consisted of a men’s group.
a few of them didn't like him from the first day.
one morning their leader urinated in the coffee machine before the session started.
everyone knew about it except him and he drank two cups.
when he found out he didn’t say anything to his case worker.
he thought that would cause more trouble.
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the next day they were taking the group to church.
before leaving he changed his mind and reported them to the lead therapist.
she interrogated everyone and none of the patients confessed.
in church they stared at him while the pastor delivered the sermon.
he discussed the bible story of the wolf sitting down in harmony with the lamb.
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that night they dragged him out of bed.
they tied him to a chair and set him next to a bonfire while they danced around him in a circle.
every staff member of the night shift descended onto the scene.
the director of the treatment center promised him “the people responsible for this will be disciplined.”
he didn't press charges because he didn't see the point.
he told the director "no one cares anyway."
he left his office and went down to the lake for the daily swim.
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he dove into the freezing water.
his chest tightened and he couldn't breathe.
it was pitch black and he didn't see anything above him.
he decided to drown himself and filled his lungs with water.
instead of sinking to the bottom two hands guided him upwards.
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he made it to the top and looked around.
no one was with him.
the rays of the sun reflected on the water.
diamonds of light danced on the surface around him.
he didn’t feel any effects from drowning.
when he got to the shore the leader approached him.
the man hugged and invited him for lunch at their table.