Invisible Women

Women & Signs 1

For a while, we were concerned for her, this young woman down the hall. For a while, we thought she was too much a child to live alone — she could scarcely be a nymphet, if you believe in that sort of thing, which we personally prefer not to. For a while, we brought her food and drink, cobbler and casseroles, but then we saw that she was not so innocent. She is not so young either, this girl down the hall.

One day, we saw marks on the meatiest part of her arms. The next day, we saw lines of dried blood along her wrists. The day thereafter she smiled and her front teeth held fissures.

We grabbed her by her shoulders, a place where surely she had no pain but she winced all the same the same wince of struggle and harm, and we demanded to know who had caused her such violence, such deformation. We said we would make he who hurt her hurt forever. We would damage them permanently. We promised her this, twice we avowed. We told her that she need not be frightened, that we would help her.

But she said nothing. She said nothing and slept for days and days, and when we saw her once again, she was changed, colors faded.