A letter to someone dear.

About the Author:

Takiyah Douglas (Creative Writing, Class of 2018) hopes to turn her love of writing into a career one day. Her best friend is food and her favorite opera is Trapped in the Closet.  She can be found locked in her room creating play scripts, short stories and, very rarely, poems.

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Letters

By Takiyah Douglas

Dear My Beloved,

As the anniversary of your death approaches and the recent events keep appearing on my newsfeed, I find myself thinking about you even more than usual. And even though eight years have passed, your departure from this world still hasn’t registered in my mind. I guess I refuse to believe you aren’t here anymore.

And when I think about how you were taken away from us, the hurt never gets any better. And when I watch another video of a man being taken away from his family, it only gets worse. I can’t imagine what it must of been like for you in your last hour. I’m so sorry you were alone. I’d rather you have died in our arms then laying on the floor of a cold jail cell with no one to hold you.

I’m sorry to admit that your death was murder.

Yes, we know. We saw the wounds on your body as if you had been kicked repeatedly. We did not believe a word when they said they found you convulsing and took you to the hospital where you were pronounced dead. I think we all knew in our hearts that you had been dead long before anyone came down to your cell. That’s why it’s hard to move on. That’s why my grandmother weeps when she sees your pictures. That’s why my mother believes she sees you sitting in our kitchen chair. That’s why I break down every time an innocent black man and woman are slaughtered by those sworn to protect the people.

I still can’t even get over the lack of condolences from those who had you in their custody.

I’m sorry we couldn’t protect you. I’m sorry we couldn’t have warned you. I’m just so sorry we couldn’t find out the truth.

I’m tired. I’m just really tired of those trying to justify the deaths of 12 year-old Tamir Rice, of trying-to-make-a-living Eric Garner, of complying-with-the-officer Philando Castro, of you, arrested for vehicular charges, Lennie Lee Brown Jr.

I want to bring you some justice and maybe your soul will be eased. Everyone should know what really happened in that concrete jail cell at four in the morning.

I hope you’re resting in peace. I love and miss you so much, my dear uncle.

Love,

Kia.

Copyright © Takiyah Douglas (2016) All Rights Reserved.