Instructions for showering: i. as the water heats in the pipes, take your mask off with cotton rounds. acknowledge yourself in the mirror. hello, stranger. ii. test the water on your forearm. is it warm enough for your skin? turn it hotter. do the droplets sting where they touch? turn it hotter. heat the water until you feel something again. iii. let your body soften in the downpour. the water washes away the dirt from your nails, the salt from your cheeks, the ache from your heart. scrape the scabs and splinters from your palms and watch them run red and raw down the drain. it is time to regenerate. iv. as the drain empties, face the mirror again. hello, friend. don't tie your mask so tight this time.
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