Her Favourite

On my fourth birthday,
my sister told us her boyfriend hit her.

There were pink streamers and purple balloons
and a cake with white icing and a little yellow bird

made of fondant and a stack of presents that
seemed smaller than last year, but that’s alright.

When my friends had all gone home and
All of her bruises were put on ice,

My grandfather took me aside and
gave me a dollar and told me to walk to the store

by myself and buy something sweet.
When I got to the store, I bought

her favourite candy. But when I got back home,
the ambulance had left, the police had arrived,

Kyle was being loaded into the back of the car,
And the chocolate had melted.

The house was empty after that. I was
alone. So I ate the cake.

Scott Beckett is currently majoring in History and minoring in Creative Writing. Previous publications include the Rusty Toque and Premier.