Mayah
When the door to the solitary confinement shut, it felt like it sucked all the oxygen out of the room. The door was sealed so completely that there wasn’t even a crack of light around it. The darkness was impenetrable; I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. I had a flashlight, but I did not switch it on. I just settled myself as comfortably as I could, adjusting my ankles near my body. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself and closed my eyes to wait.
I didn’t know what I was waiting for. It happened like that more often than not, but I had learned not to be frustrated by the lack of control. Fighting it didn't help, and in fact it sometimes just mucked everything up. All I could do was relax and trust.
The silence was thick and palpable. I could hear my breath whooshing in an
