Alone in the House by Liam Wilkinson

my neighbour has this kid
he must be
fourteen maybe
fifteen

and every time
my neighbour leaves
the kid alone
in the house
the kid
shouts the place down
screams
as if he were being
squeezed
by the walls
one of which
we happen to share

he bawls
and shrieks
the whole time
my neighbour is away
I think
there must be
something wrong
with the kid

and sometimes
while the kid
is tearing the house down
with his screeching
I decide to join in

and it feels good
a real release
as though
somehow
the world
like my neighbour
has left me
all alone

and it’s just me
and the kid
screaming
screaming
screaming
until my neighbour’s car
rolls up
on the driveway
and everything
returns
to
silence

the loudest
I've ever heard

Author bio:

Liam Wilkinson lives in Yorkshire, England with his wife and his favourite pen. He is the editor of Prune Juice: Journal of Senryu & Kyoka.