Word: Avoidance
Definition: The act of keeping away from something; the practice of denying or escaping confrontation or discomfort.
Original Attempt (excerpt):
Donβt want to, donβt want to! Need to hide, to flee, to disconnect. Nausea, heart pounding.
Rewrite (embodied):
Avoidance is checking the lock three times, so you do not have to check your inbox once. It is rearranging bookshelves instead of opening the letter on the counter. It is the sweetness of relief when you do not show up β and the sour dread that builds twice as strong the next day.
Rewrite (visceral):
Avoidance is a closed laptop glowing in the dark. The bill tucked under the stack of unopened mail. It is the silence after a message notification, knowing you will not answer. Avoidance tastes metallic, like biting your tongue to stop words from spilling. It feels safe for a moment β until the unfinished thing grows teeth and finds you anyway.
The Gap:
It stops at the sensation (βnausea, heartbeatβ) but skips the pattern. Avoidance is not just wanting to escape β it is the endless loop of short-term comfort leading to long-term collapse.
Expansion:
Question:
What unfinished thing is tapping at your window while you hide?
