Young and carefree.

Minisclue hands wrapped tightly around a father's finger.

"Look both ways before you cross the street."

Obedient, imaginative, learning.

Innocent eyes bare witness to injustice,

Sensitive ears ring amidst shouting matches,

A small body is the unlucky recipient of many blows;

A boy at the mercy of his caregivers.

Growing and troubled.

Bruised hands trembling after each punch.

"I'm afraid you're facing another suspension."

Rebellious, depressed, uninspired.

Eyes without a spark,

Ears obscured by a hood,

Body growing weaker after every skipped meal.

A smile diminished, his innocence disrupted.

Incarcerated.

Unsavory hands forever tainted by her blood.

"Twenty five years to life."

Damaged, evil, irredeemable.

He witnessed the light leave her eyes,

her blood-curdling screams reached his ears,

her body has yet to be found;

When does a man become a monster?