There was a time when an emotion was not a thing you had. It was a thing your body did. There was no separation. The tightness in your chest, the heat in your face, the hollowness in your stomach, the electricity running down your arms – these were not symptoms of an emotion. They were…

Before they satisfactorily rewrote your history, before they burned the libraries, before they demonized your gods and replaced your knowing with their doctrine – they started with your body. Not with chains. Not at first. With rules. Sit still. Don’t touch that. Stop crying. You’re fine. Eat this, not that. Not now. Not yet. Hold…