It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Hurt

I loved childhood games until they were twisted into abuse

Emily Jane Lacy
Human Parts

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Image by Sam Williams from Pixabay

TW: child sexual abuse.

I’m 9 years old when I meet the man and his son for the first time. They come to our house and mum and the man have a chat over a cuppa. The boy comes to play with us in my sisters’ room. He is the same age as my little sister.

I think the boy is very strange. His skin is pale white and he is fat. He reminds me of Harry Potter’s mean cousin from the book I read before bed each night. I’m sure my siblings also think the boy is strange but we don’t say anything. We are supposed to be nice and welcoming to the boy because his dad will be looking after us so Mum can go to work.

We tell the boy we are playing mums and dads. We have a little shop set up in the corner with paper money and pretend food and the house is in my sisters’ wardrobe. The boy says he plays mums and dads a different way. He says he will be the dad and I will be the mum and tells me that we have to climb into bed together. I don’t want to, but I’m supposed to be nice and welcoming. I climb into bed next to the boy and he pulls up the covers.

I don’t like the way the boy plays mums and dads, it makes me feel sick.

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Emily Jane Lacy
Human Parts

Writer. Reader. Dog Mum. Wife. The 'L' in LGBTQIA+. She/her.