Once again the absurdity of my inner thoughts overwhelms me, and I want to crawl out of my skin, escape my ugly, awkward flesh and be a skeleton, naked and anonymous.

The shadows of the room pool in the lines of our faces, draining our eyes of hue. "There's nothing left worth saying.

Are my words ever actually audible, or do they just echo in my head while people stare at me, waiting?

What wonderful thing didn't start out scary?

I adapt to things quickly, including good things, which I wish I could shut off sometimes.

What happened to the world was gradual. I've forgotten what it actually was, but I have faint, fetal memories of what it was like. A smoldering dread that never really caught fire till there wasn't much left to burn. Each sequential step surprised us. Then one day we woke up, and everything was gone.

Came to . . . see you.” “But I had to go home, remember? You were supposed to say good-bye.” “Don't know why you . . . say good-bye. I say . . . hello.” Her lip quivers between reactions, but she ends up with a reluctant smile. “God you're a cheeseball. But seriously, R—