Knock, knock, knock.
I jump in my bed, sittin’ straight up- though I was never even sleepin’. I cover my underdressed body with the quilted blanket, an’ single white sheet, an’ back inta the deep corner of the bed. My back is pressed ‘gainst the freezin’ wall, as hard as concrete, which ain’t too comfortable. My skin is almos’ drippin’ with sweat, an’ it real sticky- almos’ as if I attached ta the wall.
To the darkness I begin ta say: “C-co-co.” But I can’t barely get nothin’ out. My hearts too fast, the room too stuffy an’ my thoughts too fuzzy. I can’t think a nothin’: like how ta make daddy leave.
Then the door creak open an’ there the Misses, holdin’ her lantern- lookin’ rather pale. So not daddy- though I guess it coulda never been. We ain’t at home no mo’. I guess I jus’ forgot.
“May I come in?”
My breathin’ go back ta normal, and I drop the blankets. No need to cover up if it jus’ the Misses. My body don’t need no protection from her
“’Course.”
She slip in- gently as she can, closin’ the door ‘hind her. It make a loud noise, though still, an’ so she pause, mid-step, an’ listen. Listen’ fo’ a scream, probably, or not a scream but a voice. Someone, sompin’, wakin’ up. But it never come- so she continue walkin’- reachin’ me within’ a second- placin' the lantern on the desk ‘side my bed.
We both watch it burn, mesmerized by that little fire lightin’ up the whole room. Or at least I is- she jus’ watchin’ it- mesmerized or not.
“Did I wake you?”
“Nah- couldn’t sleep.”
“Oh.”
It weird, speakin’ to the Misses so civilized like. We don’t normally talk never, cause she hate me an’ I her. Or, well, I used to. I guess I jus’ don’ kno’ anymore. I wanna hate her, but… Right now I got nothin’ to hate.
“I heard you talkin’ to ‘er- Lauren, I mean, Miss. Leslie today.” I don’ kno’ why I say it. But why not, neither?
“You did now?” I nod, but don’t turn to see if she saw.
I’m still lookin’ at that little fire. It jus’ keeps burnin’ an’ burnin’.
I jump in my bed, sittin’ straight up- though I was never even sleepin’. I cover my underdressed body with the quilted blanket, an’ single white sheet, an’ back inta the deep corner of the bed. My back is pressed ‘gainst the freezin’ wall, as hard as concrete, which ain’t too comfortable. My skin is almos’ drippin’ with sweat, an’ it real sticky- almos’ as if I attached ta the wall.
To the darkness I begin ta say: “C-co-co.” But I can’t barely get nothin’ out. My hearts too fast, the room too stuffy an’ my thoughts too fuzzy. I can’t think a nothin’: like how ta make daddy leave.
Then the door creak open an’ there the Misses, holdin’ her lantern- lookin’ rather pale. So not daddy- though I guess it coulda never been. We ain’t at home no mo’. I guess I jus’ forgot.
“May I come in?”
My breathin’ go back ta normal, and I drop the blankets. No need to cover up if it jus’ the Misses. My body don’t need no protection from her
“’Course.”
She slip in- gently as she can, closin’ the door ‘hind her. It make a loud noise, though still, an’ so she pause, mid-step, an’ listen. Listen’ fo’ a scream, probably, or not a scream but a voice. Someone, sompin’, wakin’ up. But it never come- so she continue walkin’- reachin’ me within’ a second- placin' the lantern on the desk ‘side my bed.
We both watch it burn, mesmerized by that little fire lightin’ up the whole room. Or at least I is- she jus’ watchin’ it- mesmerized or not.
“Did I wake you?”
“Nah- couldn’t sleep.”
“Oh.”
It weird, speakin’ to the Misses so civilized like. We don’t normally talk never, cause she hate me an’ I her. Or, well, I used to. I guess I jus’ don’ kno’ anymore. I wanna hate her, but… Right now I got nothin’ to hate.
“I heard you talkin’ to ‘er- Lauren, I mean, Miss. Leslie today.” I don’ kno’ why I say it. But why not, neither?
“You did now?” I nod, but don’t turn to see if she saw.
I’m still lookin’ at that little fire. It jus’ keeps burnin’ an’ burnin’.
