My eyes wouldn't even remember light. How long? How long have I been here? Finger nails peeled and covered in a copper tone of blood and dirt. I smell regret. Just how long? Lips dry and throat parched. A system of struggling sinew and frail bone structure. I whisper.... was it for help? I can't remember. A torture of alcohol and narcotics. Head thick with opiates. Every grain a mile. Every dollar an hour. I feel a touch. A warm embrace. Gentle like opening a window to a morning. A hot rush of emotion. An image of beauty. A lingering gesture. An enduring promise of love. I take my first steps out. I breathe. This. This is the first day.