Laying on the bed 

Fan on 3

Hiding in the shadows as thunder blares outside

CRASH BANG BANG

Lighting strobes light up the room

Not minding that the window shade is down

Illuminating them

On their bed

Huddled in a ball, cuddling their bunny toy

Wearing boy pijamas.

CRASH BANG BANG

Cactus boy pants

Desert boy shirt

Not meant for this type of person

Because that's not normal.

Wear the girl pijama shorts

Too short for you

Short as your underwear when you pull into a ball

Wear that girl shirt

With short-short sleeves

Too tight for you to still own.

CRASH BANG BANG

Put on some socks

It may be hot outside

Air conditioners not in

Fan blaring loudly

At a long rithmic pace

Barely hitting you.

CRASH BANG BANG

Sit on the trunk by the window

Bum hurting

Reading a book and drawing

Shade over them and the window

Watching Janet's wall

When the lightning illuminates it

CRASH BANG BANG

Finally get up

Step across the river of books

Jump from bed to bed

To the lonely one by the wall.

Check the  clock

It's been an hour

12:43 am.

SWISH SWISH CRACK

The fan splurts about

Not minding they want to sleep

They grab their reading light

Slide their glasses on

open the old door

CCCRRRREEAAAAKK

Step down the hallway

More like stomp how big their feet are

Trudge down the hallway

Tiptoe down the stairs

CREAK CRACK CREAK

Don't look in the mirror down there

You might see yourself staring back

Don't look there

You'll see those brown eyes

With black holes under them

Long tangly red hair

Boy pijamas  

STOMP SWINP SWOMP

Step to the living room

Grab your iPad from its plug

Pull your earplugs in

Blue as the ocean

SWIP SWIP SWIP

Walk into the bathroom

Buzzy bee walls

Light off

Listen to your music

Carry you away

To your own little world

YADDA YADDA YADDA

Ads go on

Pull you away

Back into a room without light

It was your fault

It all was.

—————

(330 words)