It's 6 Letters and Starts With C

Its 6 letters and starts with C
The word that no one wants to hear
But you never think, even once
That it might be you who has to fear

Your first instinct is to run away
To cast off or take flight
But as you carry it inside you
Your only choice is to stand and fight

So you arm yourself for battle
With friends and family at your side
But the truth is, you face it alone
No matter how hard they try

You square your shoulders and lift your head
Marching bravely into war
But you scream inside, terrified
As you open that first door

First you'll let them cut you
Taking pieces of who you've been
You tell yourself you'll be okay
After all it's only skin

Next you'll let them poison you
To feel worse so you'll feel better
Which makes about as much sense
as standing in the sun to get wetter

Last you'll let them burn you
Because what else would be worse
To bake the skin that you have left
Or end up in a hearse

But finally you're done
And you're on the other side
But now the guilt sets in
Cause you're alive and others died

But you risked it all,
Your hair, your skin, your sanity
All for this one little word
6 letters that starts with C.