Layla’s Night-Night Screams Could Pierce a Soul
14 Jun
At 7:30, we put Cecelia to bed. She’s cute…with her little 11-month old, worm-like body crawling towards the stairs, beyond excited for the bottle she’s going to fall asleep with in the crib. We place her on her back, give her the bottle and watch as her eyes close as she fades to sleep.
By the time we get downstairs, Layla is either banging on my flat-screen TV, or lighting matches.
“It’s time for night-night, Layla”
“Soon. Night-night soon,” she replies
“Night-night now.”
“Okie,” she agrees.
I carry her up to her crib. I crouch down and bend over in front of the crib, like the slave that I am. She walks on my back, lifts one leg over the rails, then the other.
“BOOKS!”
We throw a few books in the crib.
“HUGS AND KISSES!”
We lower the rails and kiss her goodnight.
“NO BOOKS!”
We remove the books from the crib.
“HUGS AND KISSES!”
Goodnight, Layla.
When we close the door, it starts. The inhale for her scream begins when the door closes. She holds it for so long, building up negative energy, that it doesn’t actually make a sound until we hit the bottom of the stairs. It sounds like she’s being burned alive.
In one room lies a sleeping baby, dreaming of stars and breast milk. In the other, lives shrieks of terror that all but peel the paint off of the walls.
What a tranquil way to unwind for the evening.


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