“I don’t get it.”

I sighed heavily, but avoided rolling my eyes by simply closing them. We’d been at this for three hours already.

Oh, I’m sorry. You expect people to just accept that you can do things that science has always told them is impossible?

Well, no, but—

Should they believe the world is nothing but a terrarium kept by aliens, too?

Some people do, I thought, feeling contrary.

Yea...

I tried not to feel guilty. It was for the best, after all.

I moved quietly through the house, thankful for once for the bloody street lamp right outside. For years that damned thing made sleep practically impossible without a sleeping mask and black out curtains.

I guess that wouldn’t be a problem now.

For weeks I’d been secreting things away, an outfit here, a dinner set there. During Andr...

The bedroom looked like the closet and dressers had been violently ill. Random female detritus was scattered everywhere. A new bra, deemed too uncomfortable and a waste of money, had been flung hastily aside and now dangled from the TV by a strap.

“Will you just...talk to me?”

My voice had lost its heat. I knew I sounded desperate, defeated, but I didn’t care anymore. It didn’t matter. It would...

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

This wasn’t your fault.

But as I stood on the hill, watching the smoke billow up from the valley below, my breath hitched.

I couldn’t see exactly where it was coming from, the rest of the town was in the way, but I imagined I could. Imagined I could see the broken crockery I’d thrown at him. The molding splintered from the impact of my body. His body, lifeless eye...