venom

in the middle of a hallway
filled with hundreds of kids
going in every direction
a small voice rang out

“You are a fat lady!”
chin raised to his caretaker
inquisitive expression
testing the waters

“You are a fat lady!”
undeniable now, she sighs
slight smile of resignation
rueful chuckle
old pain unearthed, again
“What did you say?”

and just as he smirked
took a breath
and opened his mouth
an invisible cone of silence
descended from the ceiling
enclosing the space
from his head
to the carpet

insulating the unkindness
containing the pain
closing in the bitterness
that must find its release

inside the echo chamber
his words twisted around like snakes
swirling back on their source
to bind him