Loony Bin

Someone just moved in
down the street.

Mom wants us to go meet him;
welcome him to the neighborhood.

(sweetie)

His house is small
and the front door is
painted blue.

(sweetie)

Mom knocks
and he greets us.

His name’s Ivan.

(sweetie)

His eyes are blue,
like my father’s,
only they have a certain glint
that I just don’t like.

(sweetie)

He lets us inside
and leads us to the kitchen.

Mom and Ivan make small talk;
I just stand there.

He keeps glancing at me
with a smirk on his lips.

I don’t like it.

(sweetie)

“You know Karen,”
“I have a lot of unpacking to do
and I was wondering if either of
you two could help?”

My mom looks at me
then back to him.

“Well I have to go to work actually”
“but my daughter will definitely help!”

He grins.

“Great.”

Mom leaves and
I’m left with a
Stranger.

(sweetie)

He backs me up into the
kitchen counter.

“So”
“who’s your daddy?”

I gulp.
I don’t like this man.

“Mr. Johnson sir,”

He smiles
and leans into me,
twirling a lock of my hair
around his finger.

“Hmmm…”
He places his face into
the crook of my neck
and takes a deep breath.
“no.”
“I’m your Daddy.”

I’m beyond confused.

“no you’re not.”

“yes I am,”
“Sweetie"

I push him away from me
and start running towards the door,
but he catches me.

I’m on the ground
and he’s on top of me
doing things men shouldn’t do
to young girls.

“please get off me.”

He doesn’t listen,
he just continues.

“I’m your Daddy.”
“I’m your Daddy.”
“I’m your Daddy.”

He’s burning things into my
brain;
trying to convince me he’s something
that he’s not.

“You got that Sweetie?”

(sweetie)