Social Death

I am a dead woman; I move through the world unseen, unheard, and undone. Yes, now I can tell you exactly how it feels to die! So, ask away.

-Does it hurt?-

It feels as if your soul is being pulverized, crushed, eaten, and thrown back up. It's not the type of pain inflicted by someone else; however, it is more like an autoimmune disease or a period. I immaculately and inefficiently ripped myself to shreds from the inside out. I remember wishing I was dead as I was dying, and much like enduring both periods and autoimmune, diseases it is incredibly lonely. 

-Where do you go when you die?-

Home. You drag yourself home and crawl under the covers and weep uncontrollably. But now, no one can hear you, and there's no reason to get back up. -She chuckles mirthlessly here- No life to maintain. One of the perks of living alone is not having to see my family walk right past me as I die for the second time in a row. Oh, did you died just once? So did I, but no. I've deceased about four or five times so far. As it turns out, there are many different aspects of death to work through besides the physical, which many of us get far too caught up fearing.

-How did you die? -

I was murdered. Brutally eviscerated by my family and friends, no less. 

-Who are you?-

An artist, lover, woman, teacher, sister, daughter. But if you were looking for my name, it's Priyanka. I was twenty- four when it was decided I was no longer worthy of retaining my own life- denied my human right to live. But are the dead human? Remains to be seen. Museums would be egregious violators of human rights. Sorry, could you repeat that?

-Why were you murdered?-

Because I was raped. No one told me about how mean men are to women who are beautiful, educated, and curious. I was in love with being alive, but so ignorant. My family murdered me, and that ..thing.. it could not stand my brilliance or my womanhood. He did not kill me. He tried, but my family, ignoring me and forcing me to marry him...well, all the nails in the coffin. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another death to experience.