My Dark Sci-Fi

Still photo from the movie “Johnny Got His Gun”

I imagine
A science fiction
Where someone’s mind
Is transferred
Into my body
Suddenly
They can’t move
A muscle
They send mental commands
But nothing responds
They are frozen
They can’t make a sound
Utter one syllable
Or even click their tongue
Their eyes feel open
But they can only see
Shadows
They can’t smell
Because they are breathing
Through a tube
Attached to their throat
They have a catheter
Stuck in their genitals
And coming out of
Their stomach
And all the dull pain
In their ankles
Butt and lower back
I hear them
Screaming
In their minds
Trapped
Helpless
Baffled
Wondering
How they fell into this
Johnny Got His Gun
Nightmare
I hear them screaming
So loud
I can’t tell
If it is them
Or me
Screaming
Let me out
Let me out
Let me out
Then it hits me
Just by the slightest
Quivering of my lips
My last literal possible
Muscular movement
I wrote this poem
I got out
I hear myself
Screaming
I am free
With this science fiction
I am free
I escaped
I am free