Lies You Tell (DE)

1.

" Ma I don't want to play this game,"

" You don't have a choice Joseph," Joseph's mother said with urgency in her tone.

Loud banging and the sound of glass being broken could be heard from the other side of Joseph's parents bedroom door. His mom pushed his small six year old body into the closet sliding the door closed in front of him.

" I love you baby you hear me?" His mom asked sticking her finger through the openings in the door that he was looking out of.

Joseph watched as his dad retrieved a large military like rifle from under the bed and loaded the chamber.

" Tonya get do-,"

Before Joseph's father could finish his sentence two masked men kicked the room door open with such force the door almost came off the hinges. A series of shots rang out, making him jump, the sound frequencies bouncing off the walls caused Joseph's ears to ring violently. He watched as his mother's body fell to the floor in front of the door with a thud, her eyes open wide staring right at him.

Confused, he watched as the men rummaged through the room, flipping the mattress and ripping the dresser drawers out all while his parents lay motionless on the ground. Joseph watched as his mom took one last breath, and it was as if her soul exited her body when she exhaled.

One of the men made his way to the closet flinging the door open. Joseph froze in fear, wearing only a white t shirt and Superman drawls, a warm stream of urine trickled down his leg. The gunman pointed his gun at Joseph's head, and raised his finger to his lips making a shushing gesture before they ran out of the apartment.

" Ma, mama, get up they gone," He whispered, watching the pool of blood that had been accumulating under her body slowly travel across the wood floor, touching his tiny toes.

He looked down at his feet, wiggling his toes in the blood. Holding onto the closet door he stepped through it careful not to slip.

" Daddy,"

Joseph's father was slumped up against the wall sitting in an upright position, eyes wide and head hanging. Blood and brain matter sprinkled the white wall behind him. The gun he'd taken out to protect his family still in his lap, unfired.

" Daddy get up!"

Joseph gasped for air, frantically grabbing the grey Egyptian cotton sheets around him as he shot up from his bed. A gentle breeze blew into his dark room from his window that he'd left cracked open of his apartment on the 27th floor. Joseph watched the curtain blow around as he tried to slow his breathing down.

Beads of sweat trickled down his face as he kicked the covers off his naked body. He reached into his nightstand retrieving his medicine, tossing a pill back with no water.

Joseph had suffered from night terrors since he was a child, and though they differed every night they were always vivid enough to make him question reality when he woke up. This one was the worst one.

He got out of bed, walking over to his window and looked down. The sun was slowly starting to peak out and light up the New York skyline. He had the perfect view from his condo downtown.

Deciding against going back to sleep he got his day started early, getting ready and running some errands before heading to his aunt and uncles house. The smell of eggs, grits and gently charred sausage filled the air as he entered the house, letting the screen door close behind him.

" Who's there?" His aunt asked, coming out of the kitchen drying her hands on a red and white checkered dish towel.

" It's me auntie," Joseph said, dapping up his uncle who was engrossed in Sunday morning football reruns.