this is where my hurt goes

Since my last session, I've tried to imagine what the chest that would protect my private inner identity would look like. I imagined a brass chest, with a system of locks and bolts unrivaled in their intricacy. I probably have The Room (a smartphone game) to thank for that exercise. But the more I went down that road of imagination, I started to recognize there are some flaws in that design. The problem with that design is that it's too complicated and too onerous to handle. The people and situations in my life that it's meant for need something more fluid, more dynamic. What I need is a shield—maybe some sort of cool futuristic one made out of energy that I can bust out when the situation arises. Because when I get hit, it's usually really fast. I need to be able to bust it out on the fly. This is about boundary setting. It's about protecting myself from those who feel entitled to violate my space and besmirch my dignity. But it also shouldn't be bristlin...