Me Neither

by Miyla T.
(Kansas, USA)

Hey mom
I’m home
Yes…
I’m back…
Again…
No, I didn’t really learn anything today
It was all stuff I already knew
How was your day?
Oh, I’m sorry,
That was the wrong question
I’ll just leave you be…

Oh, hey baby boy
How was your day?
You went shopping with mom?
That sounds fun.
Did you get anything?
Oh, you didn’t…
Did you have a good day at least?
Wait, what happened to your lip?
Momma smacked it…
Oh…
Why don’t you go play?

How was your day at scho~
Oh…
It’s my fault…
But you didn’t plug it in
I know you’re not stupid.
I’m sorry…

Mirror…
Why are my eyes so sunken in?
Are my lips always that red?
Why am I trembling?
Am I going to~
Oh no…
No weaknesses
Not this early in the evening
Few more hours
Few more
Just a few

Damn it…
Just stop
You don’t even look
Pretty when you cry
Quieter
They’ll hear you
There’s no need to worry them.
Just hush
Hush
Hush

You remember what it was like…
Those days when you were happy
When you didn’t come home
Fearing for your safety…

Me neither