Imagine the evilest queen. High cheekbones and nails like daggers. Meaner than a scorpion in a basket of puppies, more shameless than a hungry alligator spotting a toddler. She has neither empathy nor sympathy. She wants to hurt and add injury to insult. She can smell fear. She feeds off pain and low self-worth. She bullies, belittles, and berates. She is as loud as she is loathing. She slips in through my cracks of hesitation and doubt. I know the best would be to smother her in love, but most days, I can only try to stand up to her.