05 The Love Issue | The Span of Human Emotion · 5 of 12
I clutch my Indians capCeiling fan spins out — “Ready!”Mickey lamp shifts down — “Set!”Peach nightlight fogs the bedroom — “Go!”I wave Chief Wahoo like a checkered flagSunday! Sunday! Sunday!
VROOM! VROOOMM! TROLLCAR screams outFrom under the bedMonster truck engine roarsShocks shakeAnd giant wheels crush everyone
“Donut!” I whisper-yellTROLLCAR rips up rag rugAnd tears apart DannyThe neighborhood bullyWho mocks the way I talkTears him into big fat chunker chunks
“Pogo!” I mumble-shoutTROLLCAR wheeliesAnd bounces on Mrs. SternThe lunch aide who makes me play kickballWith the jerk butts who laugh when I runCrushes her into a uggo pancake
Then TROLLCAR cuts the engineAnd I dive into bedAs Daddy punches open the door and yells“Bedtime!” and “Quiet!”And “Don't you dare leave this room!”And slams closed the door
Vroom! Vrooomm!And TROLLCAR revs up againSmaller, quieterAnd I pee in the trashcanBecause it's bedtimeAnd I don't dare leave this room
“Power out,” I swallow-screamTROLLCAR tornadoes through my class“Back flip,” I mutter-shriekTROLLCAR uses my teacher as a ramp“Front flip,” I gulp-barkTROLLCAR lands on the principal
Then TROLLCAR cuts the engine againAnd I fake sleepAs Daddy punches open the door and yells“Quiet!” and “Or else!”And growlsAnd slams closed the door
vroom!trollcar putters, tiny, punyinsignificant, and, and, and …And I jump on the bed and roar“HIT DADDY! RUN HIM OVER!And “AGAIN! AGAIN!”As TROLLCAR sprays blood and guts everywhere
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