The Whole Picture

My Sad Little House...

I once lived in a sad little house. The floors creaked and the faucets leaked. Mommy cheated, daddy drank, big sister smoked, and ran away with her prince nightly. I would lie in my bed, listening to the sounds of my little house; ice hitting the glass, hushed whispers into the phone, and the click of a window. Big sister would come home with the sun, and sleep until it was peaked. Mommy would yell at her; claiming her prince was a terrible villain. Daddy would down another glass; asking me to get him a cigarette to wash it down with.
I am not sure how we lived. Daddy lost his job. Mommy lost her temper. Big sister lost her prince. I thought Mommy still loved me. She talked to me; instructing me not to tell Daddy about the terrible things that I saw. Daddy talked to me too; promising that things would get better. Big Sister only talked to me when I took her things.
I thought things were getting better. Mommy left with a new Daddy; she took Big Sister with her. Daddy kept on drinking; but I think he was getting better. I met a new friend. Her name was Sarah. She visited me at night; promising that I would be okay. I liked Sarah. She would hug me and tuck me in at night. I never told Daddy about Sarah. Sometimes, she would take me into Daddy's room and show me his gun. I never asked why.
Time passed, and Sarah began to scare me. I wanted to tell Daddy, but Sarah told me "No". One night, Sarah woke me and snuck me into the family room. Daddy was drinking. Mommy was cheating. Big Sister was running. I was screaming. Sarah was shooting. I hid behind the chair.
One Shot...
Mommy stopped cheating.
Two Shots...
Big Sister stopped running.
Three Shots...
Daddy stopped drinking.
Four Shots...
Sarah stopped breathing.
One more bullet, and I was alone. I walked over to Sarah; her face was pale like snow. I grabbed the gun. It was over. I wanted to go with Sarah. I held the gun close.
One more shot...
Click.
I stopped believing.
Now I am here, telling you at Sarah did it. But you won't believe me. You say that she was just a dream. The thing is, without Sarah, I would have been okay.
I find it funny; I miss my sad little house.
I miss Mommy cheating.
I miss Daddy drinking.
I miss Big Sister running.
I miss believing.
I miss my sad little house.