the house is silent
streamers on the wall
        and banners
scattered presents on the floor

    the room
            the colours
                      vibrant

the girls around the table
sitting in the dining room
a cake
‘happy sixteenth’

    chocolate icing
            a grand piano
                a loving hand

they’re not moving
a waxy splatter on the cake
        charred icing

hunched over the table
broken plates upon the floor
        drops of blood

and the birthday girl
tied to the chair
bruises on her neck
hair burnt
        face charred

    god
        this is
                sickening

a squeeze on my shoulder
you gotta see this too
he walks me to the study

to the DA
        dead
            like the daughter


call it in