My head is above water, but I am not floating. The air still tastes of ash, the remnants of a battle lingering in my eyes and in my throat. Depression is the zip tie on my tongue, the shackle on my ankle, the burden that sits heavy in my bones. It hangs on with determination, fades out of focus slowly, but it does not defeat me. I have teeth that bite back, and a voice that still wants to be heard. I go to the doctor, tell her I need help, feel the volume rising. I slip a pill into my mouth, feel the ground beneath me, see the sun is still in the sky, reach for it. I know there will be another sinking, another descent into the shadows, but for now, l let the light in, feel the glow of it on my face, and take a small step forward.