Betrayal is a blood-stained sink
The traces of you still visible, after I tried so desperately to get rid of you
It’s how hard I have to scrub to wash you off, leaving my hands raw and empty
I had to work you out of my cuticles, scrape you out from under my nails

It’s how the dog knows to stop going into your room
Though, he won’t sleep in mine anymore, I hear him now
Sometimes, I have to drown him out, like I did you

Betrayal is the neighbors asking if you’ve gotten back yet,
Commenting on how close you must be to your family,
To visit them so often,
I avoid their eyes when I reply

It’s how you finally forced my hand
My knife slicing through paper thin skin
I cleaned it with the towels you bought
Staining the white with your red

*****

Tatiana Joseph-Saunders is a junior pursuing a B.A. in Writing and Linguistics with a minor in Film Studies. She is a Resident Advisor, News Reporter for The George-Anne and EcoRep for the Center for Sustainability. Tatiana has always loved creative writing and enjoys creating little worlds of her own through her poetry and short stories.