You are a worthless child.

When the rocks hit her backpack and the side of her head, she stands still. She stares at her feet, the sneakers with the green tips he helped choose. When the rocks hit, she holds her posture, looks down, and ignores the yelling from behind her. She waits.

She’s waiting for him, and when he does show up, there’s a scuffle, a shriek, and the rocks are gone. The yells are gone. The tears well up in her eyes as she looks up. She rushes into his arms, waits for him to pat her head every time this happens, and lets her mutilated mind and body be doctored by his soft fingers.

You are a worthless child.

He takes her by the hand and gently pulls her into the store beside the school. He brushes the hair away from her eyes and kisses her. He whispers that he will keep her safe. She cries because she’s thankful. And because she knows what he says is true.

He promises to stay with her. He promises she will be safe. He holds her tight. He tells her, that no one can love her more than him. He tells her, that no one will love her quite like him. He tells her, that no one will love her except him.

You are a worthless child.

He pants to her as they jog around the school race track. You are so bad at running.

He laughs at her when they’re struggling with math in the library. You are so bad at studying.

He holds her shoulders after she’s presented her essay. You are so bad at talking.

He tells her all sorts of things. He tells her what the other people have said about her. He adds on. He watches her cry. He hugs her. As her tears trickle down his jacket, he smiles, and says. Don’t worry. I fell in love with that sobbing mouth.

You are a worthless child.

He whispers into her ear at night. When she’s trying to go to sleep with the covers drawn up so much the tips of her toes are showing. There’s no snow outside, but she shudders. The tears don’t stop coming, but he doesn’t seem to want to brush them away. He holds her close, watches her cry. I’ll protect you. Just stay with me, you lonely, quiet child.

You are a worthless child.

She stares in the mirror and tentatively fixes the ribbon in her hair. She gathers up her courage and walks to school. She stands by the school entrance.

He comes, his bag slung over a shoulder. He hears the whispers of the group before he sees her. He rushes in, catches sight of the bow. Yes. The whispers are right. She’s so pretty. So beautiful.

You are a worthless child.

He grabs her hard by the shoulders. She gazes up at him, panic flashing across her eyes. Stop trying! No one will love you! He snarls what the other students said. She protests. That’s not what she heard. They thought she was pretty. He slams her to the floor. I said. Don’t try! No one will love you but me!

You are a worthless child.

She’s in their house now. Her uniform is hung up, dusty and dry. She’s waiting, cutting vegetables for when he gets home.

He opens the door with his keys and steps in. He strides across the mountains of pills, the packs of medicine littered across the floor.

Her eyes are flickering, full of fear. Her whole body relaxes when he wraps his arms around her and plants his lips on her head. She’s shaking, and he gently raises her head to meet his eyes.

You’re a child. You don’t have enough time. You don’t have enough brains. It’s too late now. Now it’s too late.

He picks up a shawl from the floor, pulls it over her head. You good child. You belong to me.

You worthless child.

Feel at ease with me. Relax in my arms. He takes her hand and spins her gracefully on the wooden floor. Have the sensation that you’re floating. Dance with me. Dance with me forever. Her eyes flicker to the floor. She turns.

You are a worthless child. The most worthless child in the whole world. But that’s okay, because I’ll protect you forever.

He comes home and she’s not there. He looks for her. He panics. He waits.

She walks in through the back door, opens it with her own key. He screams at her. She stares at him. He embraces her. Tells her how much he loves him. How worried he was. Her eyes reveal nothing. She says nothing.

You are a worthless child.

She’s gone. She fled. He watches her become covered with scars. He watched her bleed. Still. She ran.

He bites his lip and grinds his teeth.

You are a worthless child.

He’s lonely. He claws his face so hard blood seeps through his finger tips.

I am a worthless child.