by the time you read this I'll be far away from this festering pool of turds don't bother
calling the social record this time Carol. I'm a ghost cat and I've quit this town.
How'd you find out? Tay Tay told me. You bribed her?
It's chocolate two weeks ago. I really thought I could trust you. I guess all bonds are broken
by chocolate. Get in the car Andrea. It's Andy. I'm getting in the car now, okay?
I'm not blaming you. I wish this was easier. I wish you could just be honest and tell
me how you're feeling. Alright Carol. I'll be honest. Your whole foster parents
stick that you use to validate yourself and make yourself seem better. What? Can you turn
around? Turn around. Turn around. What are those? What? Like what are they? What? Your
hair? Are those supposed to be cornrows? Tay Tay says I look like Alicia Keys. I mean
I wish I had your head shape though, that beautiful African shape. I can't do this. I'm
leaving. What? And you're eating hot Cheetos again for breakfast? Don't come for my hot
Cheetos. I admit he was cute in a Mack DeMarco fuckboy kind of way. Yeah, I usually don't
do so funks, but I'm open. I miss you too. My new foster mom reeks of incense and white
girl rebellion. Alright, talk to you later. I shouldn't fall asleep with candles. We're
on the whole house down. You listen to Ben and Callie, they're rad. It's midnight. And?
They'll wake everyone up. I'd argue that while the shackles of the white patriarchy are still
in place, nobody can be truly awake. Who the fuck are you? Leah, live across the street.
Your window is open. I mean that was an invitation to break into my room. See what you need to
front. What makes you think that? You're wearing raccoon eyes and it's not 2008. I have something
for you. Thanks. You're welcome. I've got to run. Sweet dreams, have a cup. Hello. Hey,
it's Aiden from school. Hey. What's up? Nothing much, just listening to a mixtape. Oh, cool.
Your boyfriend? What? Did your boyfriend give you the mixtape? Oh, no. I don't have one because
I'm not looking for one. Not because I struggle with emotional intimacy. Okay, well, maybe
we can hang out. As friends, I'm going to a show tomorrow. Want to come? Yeah. Yeah,
sure. Okay. Want me to pick you up? Yeah, I'll text you my address. Okay. See you soon.
Bye.
Yeah, I know what I said. He's not a mac-de-marco fuck boy, though. More like an Elliott Smith
sad boy. I gotta go. And grace me with your presence once again. Listen to the tape. I
was about to, actually. And I got something for you. Peachy. I've got a lot to do this
fine evening. It's midnight. I've got school tomorrow. School fries your brain.
Shit. Thanks for taking me in. I love it. So the cynic feels love after all. Huh? You
act like you hate everything. No, I don't. Name one thing you like. The History Channel.
The History Channel? Are you serious? The reenactments are so bad. Exactly. They're
so fucking funny. I usually can't stand the History Channel, but I remember once I watched
a special on Cowboys. The whole thing was in the Wild West. Real sloshbuckling stuff.
I love the Wild West. And those pictures of cowboys, old people hang over their fireplaces.
Why? I like the isolation of the desert. I used to think I liked being alone. You don't
like it anymore? No. What do you think about when you see this? I think about a game I
used to play when I was little. When I'd track the sun. And I'd say, going, going, going,
gone. How about you? It surprised me a lot of, like, when you lay out on the grass outside
of your house and the sprinklers are going off. And you can see a rainbow. And you can
hear sort of, like, water in the background. It's like a bigger version of that. Like a
bigger version of that, just spilling over with it. You know, when I was little, I really
used to think that was, like, the way to go out. If I really just closed my eyes and ran
through the sprinklers hard enough, I would just come out on the other side. What's on
the other side? Who knows? But I was always hoping that maybe I'd end up four years old
sleeping in a bed with my parents. Let's go there, Andy. Andy, wake up. Your bus is
going to be here soon. I'm sorry, my man. Hello there. I'm calling to inform you that
my entry of Pinscher did not attend school today. And we received no notice of an excused
absence. We take attendance very seriously. Don't leave.
Okay.
you're still here you're a keen observer you're usually gone when I wake up yes
me not to leave darling do you have any dreams I did actually you were there you
were wandering through the forest together just looking at everything and
suddenly disappeared I thought I was never gonna see you again then what
happened I heard your voice coming from the trees or somewhere you tell me we
could stay in the forest together forever
it's just a dream sometimes our dreams are less fragile than our realities hey hey
you haven't been to school in a while just wanted to come check up on you just
been busy yeah school fries your brain you know I come in yeah sure my friend
lays here I guess she left you're acting like a child they're coming for you look
that comes one of them now you'll hear you
comes now I'm getting out of here what are you up to watching movie with you
Aiden was that my friend your friend yeah what's wrong you just leave one friend
for another alone lying in your bed what are you talking about I didn't mean to
leave you I just he didn't mean to leave me
he knocked on the door what did you want me to do not answer it don't you
ever feel anything and I do feel something I just I thought I could have
more than one front I don't understand what's the big deal what's the big deal
I'm just not a big deal that's not what I said look at me like that it's insulting
don't look at me keep your eyes down I just I felt things if you don't want to
feel things if you want to just feel numb and watch movies show me you
feel something
oh god
so what do you want me to do let's go there is go there andy
so
oh lao what are we doing we're spilling over
so
lao that's it
that's the house I grew up in
so
there's no one here
there's no one here we don't need anyone else aren't you happy here this is your
home it's not leah why not you want to stay here forever this doesn't feel like
home it's dark and empty all this makes me feel sick
then we'll burn everything we'll build fires we'll fill it with smoke and live
in a house don't you get it leah
this isn't home this is a memory what's wrong with memories
sometimes our dreams are less fragile cut that shit out I'm going back home
this is home to my real home you don't belong in that house andy
you're right I don't
if you leave you'll never see me again I belong here yeah you do
goodbye leah
um andy are you okay
yeah tootie and beachy andy I got excited well thanks girl
oh the school called you haven't been going
I hit a rough pipes last week I'm over it though
good your hair looks nice girl thank you
oh
dawn of the dead
fuck yes
