The Cunning

Dear Reader

I pray to keep you safe

I wish to keep you sound

Your battles are your own to choose

But let me warn you:

Never choose one with the cunning

For I have seen many a cunning, many a times

They have an excited smile and a charming voice

They laugh when you are sad

They dismiss your feelings

They offer you love

And only ask for your obedience

They do the most minimal things

Like getting you some chocolates

And ask you to spend your life pleasing them

By doing everything as per what they wish

Do the job they wish you to do

Wear the clothes they wish you to wear

Hang out with only those they approve of

Marry the one they want you to marry

Say the things they want you to say

Lie for them if they wish it

Lie about yourself if they wish it

Because they can’t handle being associated with someone who failed or even someone normal

Don’t shine too much

You must let them have the spotlight

I mean, you could take the spotlight once in a while

But only when they are okay with it

Because they’d love being associated to someone great

But dare you outshine them and not need them

Then you’ve got yourself a problem

Because they only want the best for you

They want you to never fall ill

They want you to be thin

But they don’t really care much when you are ill

You must still go to work

You must still fulfill your duties

And no they can’t help you

They’d love to

It’s just that they always have something more important to attend to

Like dinner parties for networking

Like extramarital affairs they need to take care of

It isn’t that big of a deal I mean, it’s just that they have other priorities

You can’t make a bid deal out of their negligence

That’s just how the world works they say

You just have to be kind, and supportive and loving

Endlessly

They don’t care or even understand reciprocity

But that’s the last thing you’d ask for

Some respect and space would also do

But they only allow freedoms to the extent that they are comfortable with

To the extent that their leash allows

And do look out for these signs:

They’ll attack everything you hold near and dear:

Your self esteem

Your Looks

Your Clothes

Your Family

Your choices

Your Habits

Your Friends

They’ll tell you that you are a loser

And that without them, you’d be nothing.

Oh but these are private conversations,

Nothing good comes from making them public

For they are the truest saints

They will only do you SMALL favours in front of others

And Oh so family-oriented they are

They fit in perfectly

Except for when you pay attention closely.

They are disguised as a giver.

Except they only give things that

Either don’t matter to them, or they get something in return for, either directly or indirectly.

They’ll get angry often and especially when you point out their mistakes

They’ll try to talk their way out of it

They’ll say: That’s just how I am

Oh and they wont give you privacy

Why can’t we know your passwords, don’t you trust us?

They can easily forge signatures

And they take pride in the information they obtain from eavesdropping

They play with their words and offers

Sometimes even completely denying what they said

Oh and this won’t be a one-time occasion,

It will happen endlessly in a loop

So much so that it will feel like a trap

You could lose track of where you are

Or where you want to go

And eventually you will feel drained

With no one to turn to except for them

And that’s when they have you exactly where they want you to be

In the frontlines

Sacrificing yourself and others

for their ridiculously greedy schemes

And so you must be aware dear readers

That such are the Cunning

And that they only really hurt the ones closest to them.

Therefore Dear Reader