Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I have never been suicidal. Sure, I’ve had dark thoughts in my life, but who hasn’t? They were never more than just a passing thought that swooped into my mind and left as quickly as they came.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The woman manipulated and obfuscated, but she did not lie. I liked that about her.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I’d wanted to be seen as a good girl ever since I was a child, and good girls went to church. At least, that’s what my mother said.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I couldn’t stop staring at the flier all the way home. Tracy kept talking to me, but I was lost in my own world.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The party was packed with punks and stoners. The musk of weed plumed toward us as we squeezed through two stoned metal heads at the entrance to the living room, which was filled with too much smoke an

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I hadn’t been on a date since eighth grade, and even then, it wasn’t much of a date.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 7

Chapter 7

There was a time when Tracy and I hung out together every single day. Sometimes we hung out so long that it bled into the next day, and sometimes that day turned into a whole weekend.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 8

Chapter 8

An interesting phenomenon occurred once everyone thought I was crazy. They started questioning every word I’d ever said.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I spent the weekend trying to cram a thousand workouts into two days. It’s impossible to do two months’ worth of working out in a weekend, but I tried anyway.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 10

Chapter 10

We were in a good mood as we walked down the hall and stepped onto the elevator, following the directions the nurse had given us. Once we reached the third floor, though, that all changed.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Basketball practice was hard when you were too tired to keep your eyes open. I got hit in the head at least three times every afternoon for the rest of the week, but that wasn’t the worst part.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Paintings of the Void hung all around Doctor Thatcher’s office. They were on every wall in her waiting room, and her therapy room. I didn’t know if it was elegant or macabre to hang a symbol of death

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It started with a bang. No, a slap. My mother's head hit the floor. My father stood over her. We had to get out. If we didn't, my dad would kill her. So, we ran.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Pop’s house smelled of musk, born from years of neglect. Waves of stale air knocked the wind out of me.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Thirty-seven minutes, fourteen seconds. Rosalie reamed my mother for thirty-seven minutes, fourteen seconds.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It took two hours to walk into the middle of town. I used half an oxygen tank and needed seven rest stops, but eventually we made it.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I went through the whole morning without seeing her. Finally, at lunch Penny made an appearance.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I’d missed 60% of school days since I started at East Willow Middle, so when the principal pulled me into her office I wasn’t surprised in the least.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I sat at lunch in silence, staring off into space. Frank prattled on about one thing or another: school, movies, video games, some test he took.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Yva and I woke to darkness, neither of us wanting to move. We lost ourselves in the woods. Yva droned on and on about her ship.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty
Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I woke up in the E.R. Yva sat by my side, hands cupped in mumbled prayer. Mom stormed in like a bull in a china shop, almost crushing Yva in the process.

· May 5 · Russell Nohelty

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