Let's play a game

Let’s play a game—

they always said,

before it turned to sticks and stones,

and splintered wood on bones,

.

Laughing and joking,

all the while poking,

seeing how far the

skin could stretch

before it bled.

.

.

.

.

Let’s play a game—

they’d run and grab

the scissors in hand

calling for you to hide,

.

knowing if caught

that you’ll be cut

long brown hair,

falling there—

sliced down to the root,

a game not cute.

.

.

.

.

Let’s play a game—

they’d say on the track

never once looking back,

while you stumble on rails behind,

.

trying desperately in time

to keep to the line.

.

The horn sounds out.

You heard a shout.

Flashing of white—

a blinding light—

then everything stops

and the silence drops.

.

.

like a flicker of flame—

your time was snuffed.

.

.

No pain.

No game.

Nothing left

to be the same.