Child’s Play

rock

paper

scissors

shoot

And the paper beats rock beats scissors beats paper until the game begins anew, children's smiles peeking over small hands in a classroom bathed in pastels and lined with fairy tales, the happy ending just a page away.

bang

The paper beats rock beats scissors beats paper

But what beats a bullet?

bang

and suddenly the happy ending doesn't seem so close and there is blood on the floor but things don't make sense because this place... this place was supposed to be safe.

bang

"Isn't that against the rules, though? There are no guns in rock paper scissors."

"Oh, naive child. Those who make the rules do not care about you."

bang