In the Tall Trees (Little Voices #1)

by Angel N. Van Atta

Maybe the bad man is made of shadows and forces himself up Daddy's nose or eyes or ears and wears Daddy like a great big Daddy suit. Daddy pajammies.

Momma hates him with all her heart, and she doesn't want me to love him either. But I can't help it. I love him. He's my daddy.

Daddy only lives here sometimes. The rest of the time he's away for his job and also with his other family. We're a secret. Ssssshhhhh.

I’ll throw her in the river and tell my wife that he’s some lost cousin’s kid, and we’ll raise him as our own. Or I’ll just take him and abandon you two fucking bitches here and let you starve and die and you can watch her wither away to nothing, and there’ll be nothing that you can do to stop it.”

And in my dreams, when my body dies, the blackness finally comes and I smile 'cause it’s better in the blackness 'cause the bad man can’t reach me there.

I cry 'cause there’s nothing else I can do but that. I’m too little. I’m not a big girl. I’m just a me. And I’m alone.