The seven year-old version of me.
The one who erased everything.
Keys dangle from my right hand and a small lamp from the other.
I stole them keys from Ma.
She put on red lipstick and went to bed, so she won’t be coming here.
The keys jingle and my breathing trembles with it.
This is the first time I steal them keys from Ma. She’ll be mad, but I’ll give her a red rose so she stops being mad.
I glue my ear to the door.
It’s here again. The whimpering.
Hmmm.
Hmmm…
Hmm...Hmm...
Pain slashes through my heart like them monsters are squeezing it.
Since the one w
ho shall not be named went to heaven, I hear them voices like this in the basement.
Dad told me to never come back here again.
Uncle Reg told me it’s for ‘my sake’. Dunno what ‘for my sake’ means.
Last month, Ma found me lurking here and hit me on the back with her horsewhip.
I didn’t tell Dad about it because he’ll fight with Ma and I don’t like it when they fight.
So I stopped coming here. I don’t want Ma mad at me. I don’t want Dad mad at Ma.
But today is different.
Before, them whimpers and moans only stayed for a day before they disappeared. These whimpers have been going on for three days.
Three whole days.
Them monsters must be doing something like they did to the one who shall not be named.
They’re pulling someone else into the dark waters and not giving them back.
“Eli,” I whisper and watch my surroundings.
Ma doesn’t like me saying his name. She takes me to the lake when I do. Even after I stopped, she still takes me to the lake sometimes.
I hate that lake water and them monsters in the lake.
I miss Eli.
We used to play together but then he became the one who shall not be named.