Escaping the Jungle

 Written by: Ally Bernales

Every day, I stepped into a jungle masquerading as a haven of civility. It was a place where snakes slithered in plain sight, adorned in practiced smiles but coiled with deceit. They feasted on gossip, their forked tongues hissing rumors that could topple even the sturdiest of spirits. I often watched them, not with fear but with a quiet disdain, as they paraded their hollow charades—venom cloaked in camaraderie.

The peacocks were no better, strutting around with an air of superiority, their plumage nothing more than borrowed feathers. They basked in fleeting admiration while concealing their true colors beneath layers of pretense. Then there were the monkeys—loud, chaotic, swinging from one drama to another, their antics both entertaining and exhausting.

What disappointed me most, though, were those I once believed to be different—the ones who carried themselves with a seeming kindness, a quiet integrity. I thought they were the rare birds in this zoo, untouched by the chaos, but time revealed their true colors. Like chameleons, they blended into the schemes and betrayals, their sincerity vanishing in the shadows of convenience.

And yet, the zoo's most baffling residents were the wolves in sheep's clothing—those who preyed on trust while flashing innocent smiles. They thrived on manipulation, their masks cracking only when no one else was watching.

The longer I stayed, the more I feared their influence. In this ecosystem of pretense, I began to feel the creeping vines of compromise wrapping around me, tugging me toward their ways. I worried I might lose the parts of myself that I valued most—my honesty, my principles, my sense of right and wrong.

I’ve endured this ecosystem long enough, observing the circus of hidden agendas and shallow alliances. But now, I yearn for a sanctuary—a place where authenticity reigns, where the air is free of the stench of betrayal. I’ve grown weary of this masquerade and terrified of becoming another performer in this twisted circus.

Soon, I’ll leave this zoo behind, shedding the suffocating layers of survival and stepping into the wild unknown, where honesty roams untamed and true connections thrive without fear of the hunt.

image from: https://shorturl.at/hoU7Z