I hear

the crunch of bone

and everything runs slow.

Like, in the matrix;

time and space

no longer matters.

 

I am paused;

hand resting on the door knob,

heart in my throat,

lungs caught

midway between breathes.

 

Then I see

everything clearly.

In this silence,

I am able to finally process

the puzzle in my mind.

 

Through my bedroom door

comes my sisters

angry wail,

‘What have you done, 

Selina, 

what have you done 

to mum?’

 

There is so much

hate

in the way that she says my name.

 

Hesitantly,

I open the door.

 

Mum is on the floor

cradling her hand

and crying.

 

I can see blood.

 

My heart sinks

and my stomach drops,

as the puzzle pieces begin to form

a coherent picture.

 

I stumble closer

wanting to fix the damage

that I have done.

 

‘Stay away from her.’

 

My sister screams.

 

‘How could you do this to her;

 she is your mother!’

 

I don’t have the words to explain,

or the skills to make

the pain go away.

 

I crumple to the floor,

knees to my chest.

Eyes wide

I hear mum whimper.

 

‘Broken,

I think 

they’re broken.’