A Child's Despair

She arrives home on the bus that she had ridden
On time as always she had never missed
The other children yell "Good Bye" as it drove off and became hidden
Through the front door she entered to a smile and a kiss

She plays in her room later that night
Humming dainty tunes bringing joy to herself
Her toys, innocently sparkling from the moonlight
The books stand quietly waiting to be explored on her shelf

She's been to school this day a happy day like any other
No worries cross her mind nor sorrowful cares
She smiles with angelic dimples dotting her cheeks to her mother
As the flowing material of the nightgown floats by that she wears

Night time has come as she lies in her bed
Thoughts of her test the next day in her class cross her mind
She stuffed every piece she could remember into her head
She's done very well and didn't want to get behind

Morning comes and she's off to school
Hair brushed, ponytail back, ready for work and her test
Very young, very quiet, but still she was no fool
Children talked, few friends but she thought they were the best

The sun glowed on her face as she sat rather shy
Her teacher smiled at her with an approving grin
She thought he was nice and always spoke walking by
Every day before she got on the bus asking how her day had been

This day though, she missed the bus for the first time
She walked back to class to use the phone
How awkward it felt to still be there after school hours time
She told her teacher of missing the bus home

He told her of how well she did on her test that day
She was proud and smiled her angelic smile
He loved her smile but not as he should
His thoughts had been going on for awhile

These thoughts were not those that he should've had
Her innocence he planned to take that day
He told her that the phone in the room was bad
That it didn't work and he told her to come this way

She did not expect what he had planned
He was taking her to another phone that she could use to call
The room was dark and the smell was damp
The lights did not work well and there was no phone at all

She started to wonder and feel a little weird
Why were they here and were her parents on their way
Did somebody phone them and they're on their way here
He looked at her with a unnatural grin and told her to stay

She didn't like his tone and started to cry
He said to calm down that other people might be near
He told her she was a pretty little girl and not to be shy
She started to smiled, but then it turned to fear...

The car door opened as she got in the back
Her mom was glad she called the school office
Someone had seen the girl walking back to class
Her mom kissed her cheek but there was no look on her face

She arrives home in the car she had ridden
Later than usual because the bus she had missed
She walked into her room and then became hidden
The door shut behind her in her now tormented abyss

No playing in her room this night
No tunes she could hum would bring joy to herself
The bruises on her stomach shown in the moonlight
She sat on the floor crying with her back to the shelf

She's been to school this day no day like any other
Worries cross her mind with the sorrowful cares
No more angelic dimples cross her face to her mother
As feelings of guilt line the cuts and bruises she discreetly wears

Night time has come as she lies in her bed
Thoughts of the next day in class cross her mind
The stronger she could sense the feeling of dread
She could not face him for no more was he kind

Morning comes and she's off to school
Hair down to hide her face at best
So young and quiet and feeling like a fool
Children looked, but no one could ever see the rest

She stared down at her desk hiding her face, well at least she tried
Her teacher smiled at her with the approving grin
She thought he was scum and hoped he would die
She was so sore tears ran from her eyes every now and then

This day again, she missed the bus like last time
She quickly walked toward the office in fear to use the phone
Horror and panic took hold as she felt him behind
Knowing now he would not leave her alone

He was not taking her to a phone as the agonizing pain lets her know
They passed the office and she turned and looked in
A look of horror she was not allowed to show
They didn't know the situation she was in

They walked down the hall toward the door that she feared
The smell she remembered so damp and rotten
Another teacher passed by, a woman that was so near
But she couldn't have told of the torment she was in

For she felt all alone because no one else could see
The cuts, the bruises, and shooting pains would they even care
They stopped, turned, and then through the dark door she would be
With a tear trailing down her cheek she wondered, who would stop a child's despair?