Thirtythree

As she slowly walked down the dark hallway, she knew which floorboards she could step on, and which ones were off limits. Slinking in a zig-zag, on the rug, off the rug, almost to the staircase. She had made it a little game for herself. Everything's easier when it's a game. At first it was difficult, but she loved her daddy so she wanted him to be able to get better so he needed his rest so she didn't want to floor to creak so loudly when she'd go to get herself a glass of water.

For the last month, the game had been just a game. It wasn't needed, but she did it anyway. When she gets older, she'll know that this was her heart breaking, step by step.