WEEK 50

I stayed home from school today.
I’m telling you now,
don’t freak out.
Mom had to work.
No sick days during
the first thirty days of work.
Marisol had to stay home
to use one of her sick days.
I’m a kid, so pretty much
I can kind of have all the sick days I need.
And Levi, well,
for Levi pretty much every day is a sick day.
Someone had to stay with him
so it was me.

I’ll be gone just a couple of hours.
Just while he’s napping.
I’ll get my work computer and bring it home.
They said I could work from home
the whole rest of the week.
It will be fine.
I’ll be back before you know it.
Famous last words, Mom.

Famous last words.

You know when you print pictures
and they come matte or shiny?
Shiny is . . . shiny.
But matte is a little more dull, the colors kind of muted.
Levi is matte today.
His face is darker, blurrier.
I wish Mom wasn’t at work.
He’s scaring me.

Four stoplights.
Why is it taking this long?
It shouldn’t take this long.
Where is the ambulance?
Where where where where where
where where where where where

oh my god
levi
wake up
levi
wake up
levi
wake up

Please forgive me.
It’s the only thing I can think to do.