I Did. Poem by Max Olsen

It's been four months since he
Left me here.
Starving,
Wailing,
Surviving.
I was all by myself in
That dark building we once
Called a home.
Our home.

The stove.
I remember I
Made chicken noodle soup
For him whenever he was
"Sick."

The garden.
I remember he used to
Plant roses and tulips
And daisies all over the
Backyard and eventually ask
For my "help"
When nobody else was
Around.

The couch.
I remember he used to
Turn on the television and
Make sure I'd watch at
Least 15 minutes to get
Me "relaxed"
When nobody else was
Around.

And I listened.
I was forced to listen.
I was forced to listen to
Everything he said, only
Because I didn't want to
Ruin their lives anymore.

They were so convinced he
Was this god sent from
Above. Mom called
Him an angel. My sister
Called him a blessing.
My brother told
Me to avoid him at all
Costs.

That was impossible.

Whenever I was home
Alone, he'd sneak into my
Room and lock the door
Shut.
He'd make sure they were
Gone until midnight.
He'd force me to
Cooperate with him.
And I did.

But each night was the
Same: him yelling, me
Refusing, him yelling
Some more, and me,
Finally
Giving up.

I kept my mouth
Shut. He said to me, "Don't
You dare tell your mother."
And I never did.
Not because he told
Me not to, but because
He made Mom
Happy.
Something
I could never
Do.

But he never said I
Couldn't tell my brother.

I gave Grant a single
Sentence, and he ran with
Fire
In his ocean eyes, chasing
After him. That was the last time I
Ever saw him
Alive.

I know he killed him.
I know he killed Grant.
The grin on
His face isn't a
Great disguise.
And yet, he still continued.

Whenever I was home
Alone, he'd sneak into my
Room and lock the door
Shut. And even
When I tried to make Mom
Open her eyes,
She'd make me apologize.

I'm now all alone in
This place I
Once called home.

It's been four months since he
Left me here.
He took Mom,
He took Molly, but the only
Person he couldn't take with him
Was Grant.

His fingertips were
Covered in guilt, but
No one ever
Stopped
To look at the prints.