I can’t even hear anything they’re saying because of how numb my ears are. There’s a constant tugging at my shirt that feels like a tugging on my brain. I smell a non existent pizza that should have been here 10 minutes ago.

My heart has been infected by a disease of darkness. The memory of seeing my mom leave with a friend repeats in my mind. It makes my fist clench at the thought of it. I don’t want to hate my mom. She deserves time off, but why at the expense of me?

The golf ball in my throat can’t be contained anymore. The beavers keeping the water dam in my eyes have left. Leaving the dam to break. My 9 year old brother, 5 year old sister, and somehow, my 1 year old sister stopped all the noise. I don’t quite know why, but it seemed to help.