I stared at myself in the middle of the mall
The flashes and artificial clicks weren’t able to distract me enough
From the feeling of doom resting in the pit of my belly
It grew to encompass an awareness of talons easing into my shoulder
The longer I sat the less able to leave I became
But still the machines whirred on
Taking picture after picture after picture 
My eyes wide
Frozen in place like a woodland creature on the trespassing road

It wasn’t until much later
When I gathered the energy to leave and collect the stack of printed copies 
That I noticed each square capture contained faces not my own
Faces of pain and malice
Begging to be released