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Screams echo
down that awful staircase
as she stands looking.
Memories of being pulled up
and down, at the same time
wash over her.
"She's going with me!"
"NO! She's staying here!"
Words, spliting her soul
as they tried to split her body.
She loved them both,
did she really have to choose?
Why couldn't they just get along?
She remembered the surprise
etched on her mother's face
as he let go
sending them both tumbling
like deflated basketballs
to the bottom.
It should have hurt,
that broken bone.
Wrapped like a pig in a blanket,
she felt nothing, until...

The echo of her child voice
fills her eyes once more
with hot, hurting tears,
"Mom?" are you okay?"
Still,
no reply.