Murderer

I hear something

Something from downstairs

It's a window

A window sliding open

Someone hops into our home

Footsteps echo

Echo on cold concrete flooring

Reaching ears

Ears of the neighbors

Ears of the nextdoor dog

Ears of the ones

Who live in the house

We hide

Hide underneath the bed

The bed of the youngest

For she is who we are

More than three

In one body

He found my parents

Their screams echo in the night air

Echo in ears

Ears of the neighbors

Ears of the nextdoor dog

Ears of the ones

Who live in the house

Who hide under the bed

Their screams make us flinch

Their pleads for mercy

Mercy he does not give

My sister cannot take it

Not take it anymore

She screams where she hides

She hides in her closet

Hearing everything we do

Her screams reach the ears

Ears of the neighbors

Ears of the nextdoor dog

Ears of the ones

Who live in the house

Who hide underneath the bed

He leaves my parents

Leaves them almost dead

Almost dead to watch

As their oldest daughter

is beaten to death

the ones who

who hide under the bed

see everything

every

little

thing

but we do not scream

we scream

he hears

they hear

he comes

we're dead

the murders reach the ears

ears of the neighbors

ears of the nextdoor dog

but not of the ones

who live in the house

who lay on the floor

dead