The Kids Under the Stairs: Ben Y and the Ghost in the Machine
WHO
HOME Everything was great until it wasn’t It was all planned out until it wasn’t I had control until I didn’t I had HAIR until I didn’t Esme a living bird chirp a goof made of snorts a tiny human an annoying hiccup burping in my face every day all the time Esme my little sister says 9
Don’t worry People love scarecrows Slowly gently she reaches out like she would to pet a newborn kitten or a scared puppy It’s so weird and gross I just want to touch it Esme a living bird chirp a goof made of snorts a tiny human my little sister is about to get smacked It’s cool and weird that you think people love scarecrows Esme even though I think you are probably definitely wrong about that I also think maybe for your own safety you should only say words like weird or gross in your own head and not out loud because Ben Y will definitely yank your arm right off 10
if you get any closer to her and she’s a LOT taller than I am so I’m not much help protecting you which I probably wouldn’t try to do anyway because my loyalty is with your sister Sorry I glare at Jordan NOT sorry I mean I am not sorry to not protect you if your sister tries to beat you up with the arm she just yanked off your body I lunge toward Esme but stop when I feel a flutter like a falling whisper float past my cheek I’m sensing a lot of feelings right now and that’s fine and okay because we all have big feelings when big things happen and Jordan who is MY friend not Esme’s and who has very recently had a couple of sessions with Mo who is a therapist 11
