Their cruel laughter rings
in the back of my mind.
I lower my head and fight
back the tears of humiliation.
The beast within me awakens.
It scratches at the walls of its cage,
trying to get out.
My will is the only thing
keeping the beast contained.
The laughter grows louder
and the beast's growls turn into snarls.
It throws itself at the bars,
snapping at the doors of the cage.
It is furious now.
My attention shifts and
the beast senses an opening.
The anger and fury burn through
my blood as the beast surfaces.
I try to coax it back
into its confines.
Finally, slowly, my anger ebbs away
and the beast quiets,
allowing my tormentors to live another day.
