She sits on her doorstep,
Trembling and cold with fear.
The bruises on her ribs are invisible to the angels above,
But to her they're all too real.

On her way from school earlier that day,
She walked home to find her computer on.
Her parents in front of the glowing screen.
Reading,
Reading,
Reading.
Every single explicit IM from her to her girlfriend.

Hysteria choked her in an iron grip.
Unable to do anything but stare in horror as her parents read line after line of private talk.

They looked up at her,
Hatred in their eyes.
"No daughter of mine was raised this way," her mother screams.

"Keep your paws away from your sister, ya hear?!" her dad hollers.

And the fists come swinging.
Blow after brutal blow.
Her mom goes for her arms,
Dad for her hungry belly.

She cries out for help.
Whimpers in pain.
No one to help,
Her girlfriend a continent away.

Tonight she sleeps in the alleyway out back.
Tomorrow she sets out for a shelter.
All she wants is Emily,
Her sweet, dear Emily in her arms.

But all she can do tonight is sob.
Wrench the sadness away with tears.
Until tomorrow, when the nightmare will surely reappear.