Life didn’t slow down.
It never does when you’re trying to catch your breath.
After the cleansing, my body felt lighter…
But my reality didn’t change.
Every morning, I woke up with the same thought:
“Today might be the day they come for me.”
The case was still open.
My name was still there.
And no matter how far I stayed… it felt like something was always watching me.
I stopped moving around as much.
Stopped laughing.
Stopped feeling free.
Even when I was surrounded by family… I felt alone.
One afternoon, I was sitting outside, staring at the ground, lost in my thoughts.
Uncle Papi came and sat next to me.
“You can’t keep living like this,” he said.
“Like what?” I asked.
“Like you’re already guilty.”
His words hit me hard.
Because that’s exactly how I felt.
“I didn’t do
