...
-This is it-
-This is just the new normal. No talking, no understanding, just accepting. Maybe another three months and you will get to go home-
...
-She's starting to sob-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-Her only emotional outlets over the last months have been the boy she likes as a friend who won't get the message, and her first human friend who tried to marry her that one time-
-So this is it-
-She's not stopping, she's getting worse-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-She attempts to push some of them off, quickly losing the drive to do so and just lets them-
-Misery-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-Tries to think of the last time she got hugged by multiple people-
...
-Or one person-
...
-Bugger-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-Takes one of them and hugs it-
-Girl has some powerful upper body strength to her-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?-She's stopped crying, at least-
-Resting against one of them-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?(They just keep holding her, gently, and patting her, giving paltry nonverbal reassurance in their creepy way.)
…
(Starts snoring for real, nearly slumping off the back step, but one of them runs out and shoves him back, just leaving him kinda folded over uncomfortably. He stays out cold, though.)
3 am was a mistake... sleep...
make it through this year if it kills you yet | 2001-2019

-She stares back, sullen-
What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?