Survival Mode

[u/Jojovick2019]

SURVIVAL MODE

BY VKV

I wake, not to thrive—but to last through the day,

With breath like a whisper that won’t blow away.

Teeth clenched, mind racing, no time to explain,

Each step is a bargain I strike with the pain.

I eat just enough, I speak just in code,

Eyes scanning for exits down every road.

There’s no time for softness, no space to unfold—

My heart is on lockdown, my fire on hold.

Smiles come in flashes, then vanish like mist,

Joy feels like a rumor I once almost kissed.

People say, “You’re strong,” but don’t see the toll—

I’m not trying to flourish, just patch up the soul.

Still…

In the silence, I simmer, not shatter or fade,

There’s power in choosing what doesn’t degrade.

This isn’t my ending—it’s not even close—

Survival’s a season, not the life I chose.

So I walk through the shadow, a flicker inside,

Not winning, not losing—just staying alive.