It's Real Life

I walk around from room to room,
    trying to put myself in their shoes.
But I can't.
I can't bear to see what they see,
    to feel what they feel.
I can’t get myself to pretend for a minute
    that I am them,
    that I live in their place of torture.

They run
    with massive waves looking over their shoulders.
They hide from the monsters
    that killed their parents.
They cry at night, now knowing
    if they'll breathe in the morning.
They curl up in bed
    with their worn blankets
    and flies on their face.
All they want is a warm embrace.

I have the chance to change someone’s life,
    to make a huge impact,
    possibly make the smile on a child’s face
         become real.

It’s Real Life.

Kayla Quinney
Age 18
Westview High School
The Aftermath, Advanced Creative Writing