The Voices
by Will, eighth grade writer
Will’s interpretation of who the original poem’s they/them are: Voices in Reuben’s head
December 17, 1842
Why, oh why is this happening? I pray for a miracle to be preformed before me. May my wife be kept safe and warm through the night. Why must I—We—do this? The voices of the past lives are echoing in my head, “Do it, do it, kill your maiden!”
These voices will not stop! Their craving for blood and pain used to cease at the slaughter house, but now being there does not even phase them. Their love for the massacre is rocketing to a whole new level of pain. I pleaded to God that I may be healed many times before, but my prayers seemed as though they were denied.
December 18, 1842
I can barely stand—let alone write. It feels as though a wooden stake has been driven in straight through my heart, mind, and soul. I…..
I loved it! The rush, the excitement! Those eerie voices in my head are taking over!
Ah…hahaha!The kill was swift, but sloppy. I killed her while she slept and dragged her limp body out to the butcher shop and dismantled her bit by bit. I then hung her body’s remains with all of the other meat that was hanging.
And tomorrow morning as the sun is rising; I will be selling her meat for a very cheap price. Just to get her bloody body out and about to town. The evidence will be scattered.
Everything is going as planned.
December 19, 1842
That wasn’t—couldn’t—have been me writing that disgusting and horrid journal entry last night.
Still…. My love—my life—is gone. I don’t have much time left myself. So I will tell you the reason for all of my actions. I killed my wife…. Then I tore down the slaughterhouse just to dispose of all possible evidence.
Now I have stripped myself down to a chair and soon I will set this rotten house to fire, but before I do…..
I’m back!What the devil has this fool done?! No, no, no!
(Click here to view and print Will and two of his classmates' diary entries)
