eschi's corner

The car crept down the long driveway. Gravel crunched and popped under the tires. Trees stood thickly to the left, while fields stretched away to the right. A few cows stood in a field, chewing and staring into the distance. Others walked slowly toward a patch of untouched greenery.

“All this land is your family’s?” Max asked, unable to keep a tone of awe from her voice.

“Mm-hmm,” Kate said. “My family were part of the original group of… people who founded Arcadia Bay. Grandpa Wallace and Grandma Iris and their six kids traveled cross-country in a wagon to homestead here.”

Kate shook her head as they neared a gate. “I can’t imagine doing that,” she said.

Max glanced at the gate, then shot Kate a look. “Do… you want me to open it?”

“Sure,” Kate said with a smile.

The car slowed to a stop a few feet from the dull metal barricade. Max hopped out and opened it. A buzzing sounded from her pocket as Kate drove the car through the opening. She pulled out an old phone covered in stickers and black sharpie drawings and flipped it open.

Chloe> sup?

Max> watching Kate drive her car over a cattle guard

Chloe> lol good you’re with her

Max> that’s the plan. What else would I be doing?

Chloe> lol ahh Max

Max> Thanks for the phone.

Max> I hope my parents don’t break it

Chloe> if they do, we’ll find another

Max closed the gate, then strolled to the car.

Max> thanks

Chloe> for what?

Max> being a friend

Chloe> I like being your friend

Max> *◡*

Chloe> im gonna ignore that

Max> Why? (=^ ◡ ^=)

Chloe> …

With a laugh, Max got into the car.

Chloe got off the fork lift. She eyed the pallets on the shelving in front of the forks. “Fucking Rob,” she muttered as she compared the labeling with what her tablet displayed.

Rob? Who the fuck is Rob?! And when did I learn to drive a fork lift?!

She looked around. Bright lights hummed overhead. Metal shelving stretched in both directions, from floor to ceiling high above. In the distance, voices echoed and machinery hummed.

Where the fuck am I?!

She looked down. A badge dangled from a belt loop below her hi-vis vest. She frowned and pulled the badge into view.

“Chloe Price. Second shift warehouse supervisor. The fuck?!”

The badge zipped back to the belt loop.

Beep beep

A faint humming drew near and Chloe looked up. Another fork lift entered her aisle and stopped next to hers. “You figure it out?” The woman driving the lift called out.

“Uh… yeah… Rob… He did it,” Chloe said.

“Fucking Rob.” The woman rolled her eyes and got off the lift. “Another write up?”

Chloe nodded.

“That’s the third time this month. Idiot,” the woman said. “You know what that means.”

“Yeah,” Chloe whispered, even though she didn’t.

The fuck is going on?!

“Boss ain’t gon-”

In a blink, the bright warehouse changed into a dark room. Darker shapes crowded around her. The tablet disappeared. The hi-vis vest and other garments switched into a tiny pair of sleep shorts and a t-shirt.

Chloe shook her head and looked around. The shapes turned into furniture.

What the-

A bang from the kitchen disrupted her thoughts. “Drat!” said a familiar voice.

Huh?! Again?! It fucking can’t be!

Chloe stepped around the couch and walked toward the kitchen. A door to her right opened and a yawning woman stepped out. “Chloe?” she said, voice filled with sleep.

“Ugh. I hope I didn’t wake you up,” said the improbable voice from the kitchen.

“Change you back?” Kate said with a raised eyebrow. “You seemed pretty happy about it last night.”

Victoria looked quickly from side to side and lowered her brows. “That was last night!” she hissed. “I can’t… I can’t go through life like this?!”

Kate smiled. She reached up and ran a finger up the side of a horn. It was smooth and warm. Victoria moaned softly at the touch, her eyes rolled back, and she trembled. Kate smirked. “I don’t know… you seem to like it,” she said with a lilt.

A string of unintelligible words gushed from Victoria’s mouth. Kate ran her finger down the other side of the horn. “Especially the tail,” she whispered and leaned close. “It was so much fun last night.”

Victoria sagged. Her legs pressed together, and she moaned.

Kate gazed at Victoria as the other girl struggled to stay standing. The smirk faded.

This feels… wrong somehow.

After a quick glance around, Kate stepped into her space and slid an arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as she supported the other girl. “I was just trying to tease you.”

“What did you fucking do?” Victoria panted. She gazed through Kate.

“Let’s get you back to my room,” Kate said and looked around again. “Or at least somewhere less… public.”

Max rode her bike. Or, at least, that’s what her body did. The world was hazy, distant. Sounds were muffled, like she was underwater. Air blew against her, ruffling her hair, and bringing no smells. How long had she been riding? If she was riding.

A foggy image of Socks flashed in her mind. The kitten pounced on some fluttering cloth.

Did I feed her?

A fuzzy memory of the fluff ball attacking the food bowl surfaced. She pursed her lips, hoping the memory was from today.

Better than those other memories.

She glanced down. Her shirt swelled, like it hid something she’d always wanted. A padded bra was no substitute. The band was tight against her chest, but nothing else registered. She sighed, hoping the bra’s presence confirmed she’d fed her baby.

Jabs of pain erupted from her stomach. The world wobbled. A blurry darkness narrowed her vision. Sweat slid down her back. She shivered, and a foot slipped off the pedal.

The shoe tip hit the ground and dragged backwards. The bike came to a jerky stop as she struggled not to fall off. She stood up, swaying and doubling over when a sharp pain stabbed her belly. Her breathing was ragged and painful. Her stomach clenched and tried to come up her throat.

Her body tingled. Heat flashed over her skin. A moment later, everything was fine. She straightened up. Sweat trickled down her brow. Well, not everything was fine. Her body continued to ache from last night. And her mind, her mind was in places it should never visit.

She looked around, trying to figure out where she was. Her stomach complained about its emptiness. She ignored it and set off again.

Chloe bolted upright, breath quick and shallow. "Max? Rachel?"

Darkness surrounded her, filled with shadowy shapes. A snrk was the only reply. Chloe looked down. A long lump lay next to her.

Steph…

Memories of hooking up with her old friend filtered into her sleep-addled mind. The shadowy shapes became clothes piled on the bed, a dresser against the wall, a bedside table littered with phone, lighter, and more. A faint aroma of last night's fun hung in the air.

Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

"Pasta isn't good for drumming," Steph mumbled. "It needs more silvery botanicals."

Is this another dream… or whatever the hell that was?

Steph flipped over, taking the covers with her. A faint blueish light seeped from the closet.

Chloe frowned and slid from the bed. Panties, bra, and jeans tried to trip her as she walked around the bed. She kicked them out of her way.

As quietly as she could, she opened the closet. The right door popped off the track and swung toward the wall. Inside, the closet was dark. Boxes filled the right half while a few clothes dangled from hangers on the left side.

"Did you remember to walk the dragon?" Steph said from the bed.

Chloe sighed and closed the closet door. She returned to bed, where she sat with head in her hands.

"Don't come to bed until you walk the dragon," Steph said. "It needs to exsanguinate before slooping."

Chloe picked up her phone.

10 fucking years!

"Alex! Don't go in there!" Steph flailed with the sheet.

Chloe scrolled through old photos. Photos of photos, really. Her vision blurred.

"I'm so fucking sorry about Gabe."

Setting down her phone, Chloe looked at Steph. Alex? Gabe? Who are they?

3 in the fucking morning and sleep was gone. Chloe grabbed her weed vape and got out of bed. She dressed in the dark and went into the living room. There, she took a long drag on the vape, leaned back, and let the vapor fill the air. Fingers traced faint scars on her arms.

Who was that other woman in the dream?

More vapor plumed into the air.

She acted like she knew me… but I guess dreams are fucking like that.

Chloe slid off the bed and pulled on a pair of old, blue sweatpants. She padded across the carpet into the adjoining bathroom where she washed her face.

"Why?" she said to her reflection. Water dripped from her nose and chin. "Why you? Why all of you? Am I death?"

Other than the faint hum of water and HVAC throughout the apartment building, nothing answered. She dried her face and switched her sleep shirt for a pull-over hoodie. Coffee beckoned her and she left the bedroom.

"Good morning!"

Chloe froze.

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair sat at the thrifted kitchen table. Like Chloe, she wore sweat pants and a hoodie. Both were a pale blue and covered with spots. She clutched a steaming mug between her hands as she smiled. Blue eyes shone in a sea of freckles.

"About time you got up, sleepy head," said another woman from the kitchen. She wore a white t-shirt with a faded picture of birds. Her smile lit up the kitchen as she poured coffee into a mug. "Just finished making a pot," she said and pushed the mug across the counter toward Chloe. Her dirty blonde hair was in a messy braid and little dimples formed in her cheeks. Her hazel eyes shone as she gazed at Chloe.

Chloe rubbed her face.

This can't be real! It fucking can't!

"Aww, it looks like my junkyard queen's still sleepy."

Chloe whipped her head to the side. A third woman sat on the dilapidated couch, knee drawn up as a chin rest. Her hazel eyes danced with laughter as she sipped her steaming drink. A thick blanket was draped over her shoulders, doing nothing to hide the smooth legs sticking out from sleep shorts.

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"It's been 10 years. I should… I should be better about this shit."

"Chloe, that's not how grief works."

Chloe sighed, rolled onto her side, and flopped an arm over her eyes.

"What do you need?"

"I don't know."

"Is it… ok if I hold you?"

"Yeah… I think so."

A warm body pressed against her back. Lips kissed the back of her neck. Chloe screwed her eyes shut. An arm slid over her side to snug her close.

"I just wish… it had been me in that bathroom instead of her."

"You really loved her."

"And I never got to fucking tell her!"

Chloe wiped tears from her eyes, blinking in the morning light. Diffused sunlight entered the room through the gap in the blinds, a usual sleeping spot for their cat. The bushes outside swayed in the slight breeze. A shadow flitted above, diving down to alight upon a leaf; a butterfly with brilliant blue and black wings.

"Maybe she knew."

"I fucking wish."

Chloe rolled onto her back. The flat white ceiling above was as empty as she felt. Lips brushed against her cheek. Hazel eyes peered down into hers. Blonde hair veiled them from the world.

From a great distance came laughter, childish glee. For a split second, the eyes were blue, the hair brown. Then, they returned to the soft features of her life partner, creased with worry.

"Why do you think she knew?" Chloe said. She ran fingers through the blonde hair, twirling it around an ear.

"The same way I knew."

The hazel eyes became distant, the blonde hair dissolving until only the flat white ceiling was above her.

The warmth faded into an empty cold. Chloe sat up, the sheet and threadbare blanket sliding down to her waist. Sobs racked her body. "Why?!" she cried and covered her tear-soaked face with her hands.

Silence was the only reply.