J U N E B U G

‘  i have no idea where this will lead us, but i have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.  ’ ‘  damn good coffee!  ’ ‘  when did you start smoking?  ’ ‘  i smoke every once and awhile. helps relieve tension.  ’ ‘  when you see me again, it won’t be me.  ’ ‘  every day, once a day, give yourself a present.  ’ ‘  where we’re from, the birds sing a pretty song and there’s always music in the air.  ’ ‘  why are you whittling?  ’ ‘  i feel like i know her.  ’ ‘  achievement is its own reward, pride obscures it.  ’ ‘  i believe i was visited by a giant last night. twice.  ’ ‘  you’re his whore.  ’ ‘  i’d rather be his whore than your wife.  ’ ‘  the only thing columbus discovered was that he was lost!  ’ ‘  coincidence and fate figure largely in our lives.  ’ ‘  is that bag smiling?  ’ ‘  i plan on writing an epic poem about this gorgeous pie.  ’ ‘  we’re going to need some more coffee.  ’ ‘  it’s so strange. it’s like i’m having the most beautiful dream and the most terrible nightmare all at once.  ’ ‘  i consumed 15 donuts today. all jelly.  ’ ‘  damn fine sheets. i’m gonna get naked and slide around in them.  ’ ‘  i know who killed her.  ’ ‘  in real life there is no algebra.  ’ ‘  i don’t think anybody really knows me.  ’ ‘  hiding from your fear doesn’t make your fear go away.  ’ ‘  fact: she had a sweet tooth for nose candy.  ’ ‘  maybe he’ll realize i’m the woman of his dreams.  ’ ‘  i love this music. isn’t it too dreamy?  ’ ‘  you know, there’s only one problem with you… you’re perfect.  ’ ‘  escape! i’ve got a better idea: a tall, dark, and handsome stranger falls madly in love with me, takes me away to a life of mystery and international intrigue.  ’ ‘  maybe you should runaway and join the circus.  ’ ‘  we have to promise to keep this between ourselves. our secret.  ’ ‘  styrofoam never dies for as long as you live.  ’ ‘  i decided i needed some me time.  ’ ‘  i’m only quiet on the outside.  ’ ‘  the problems of our entire society are of a sexual nature.  ’ ‘  to be perfectly honest, i think i’m in a little over my head.  ’ ‘  sleep deprivation is a one-way ticket to temporary psychosis.  ’ ‘  you don’t know what trouble is.  ’ ‘  great. after the square dance, maybe we can all take a hayride.  ’ ‘  but you don’t like me?  ’ ‘  i like you very much.  ’ ‘  i’ll see you again in 25 years.  ’ ‘  you really like to make everything sound pointless and stupid.  ’ ‘  your body feels nice against mine.  ’ ‘  i’m insane?  ’ ‘  why aren’t you here?  ’ ‘  our world is a magical smoke screen.  ’ ‘  what really is creamed corn?  ’ ‘  this cherry pie is a miracle.  ’ ‘  shhh. i’ll do the talking.  ’ ‘  that’s the kind of girl to make you wish you spoke a little french.  ’ ‘  i always felt closer to nature than i did to people.  ’ ‘  beautiful people get everything they want.  ’ ‘  i’ll see you in my dreams.  ’ ‘  would you like some pie?  ’ ‘  don’t worry, bad boy.  ’ ‘  her absence touches me in ways i could not predict.  ’ ‘  i thought you could teach me.  ’ ‘  if i’m ever lost, i hope you’re the one they send to find me.  ’ ‘  women were drawn from a different set of blueprints.  ’ ‘  what i want and what i need are two different things.  ’ ‘  some ideas can arrive in the form of a dream.  ’ ‘  you may think i’ve gone insane, but i promise… i will kill again.  ’ ‘  there is a sadness in this world, for we are ignorant of many things.  ’ ‘  you’re the most cold-blooded person i’ve ever seen!  ’ ‘  i’ve never, in my life, met someone with so little regard for human frailty.  ’ ‘  well, i’m sure he meant to hit you.  ’ ‘  there’s a sort of evil out there.  ’ ‘  i’ve got one man too many in my life and i’m married to him.  ’ ‘  look at us. two men apiece and we don’t know what to do with any of the four of them.  ’ ‘  then we got married and i find out all he was looking for was a maid he didn’t have to pay.  ’ ‘  i feel so stupid.  ’ ‘  she had secrets and around those secrets she built a fortress.  ’ ‘  you’ll have to excuse me this morning, i’m running late. i only have time for coffee.  ’ ‘  i only have time for coffee.  ’

❛   Life’s not fair, is it?  ❜ ❛   And you.. shall never see the light of another day.  ❜ ❛   Oh, I shall practice my curtsy.  ❜ ❛   I’m afraid I’m at the shallow end of the gene pool.  ❜ ❛   Don’t turn your back on me.  ❜ ❛   I wouldn’t dream of challenging you.  ❜ ❛   There’s one in every family. Two in mine, actually.  ❜ ❛   He’d make a very handsome throw rug.  ❜ ❛   And just think, whenever he gets dirty you can take him out and beat him.  ❜ ❛   Let an old pro show you how it’s done.  ❜ ❛   This is so humiliating.  ❜ ❛   I despise guessing games.  ❜ ❛   Oh, goodie.  ❜ ❛   Yes, well, forgive me for not leaping for joy. Bad back, you know.  ❜ ❛   Well, I suppose you’d have found out sooner or later, you being so clever and all.  ❜ ❛   I’m kind'of in the middle of a bath.  ❜ ❛   One day, you two are going to be married.  ❜ ❛   With an attitude like that, I’m afraid you’re shaping up to be a pretty pathetic king/queen indeed.  ❜ ❛   Right now, we are all in very real danger.  ❜ ❛   Danger? Hah! I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger.  ❜ ❛   Do you know what we do to kings who step out of their kingdom?  ❜ ❛   Hey, did we order this dinner to go? .. ‘Cause there it goes.  ❜ ❛   Why don’t you pick on somebody your own size?  ❜ ❛   I thought you were very brave.  ❜ ❛   You could have been killed.  ❜ ❛   I’m only brave when I have to be.  ❜ ❛   I thought I might lose you.  ❜ ❛   No wonder we’re dangling at the bottom of the food chain!  ❜ ❛   Oh, it’s just you. I was afraid it was somebody important.  ❜ ❛   I just hear that name and I shudder.  ❜ ❛   I’m surrounded by idiots.  ❜ ❛   Who needs a king/queen?  ❜ ❛   If you tell me, I’ll still act surprised.  ❜ ❛   You are such a naughty boy.  ❜ ❛   Long live the king/queen.  ❜ ❛   You know, having a lion around might not be such a bad idea.  ❜ ❛   Amateur. Lie down before you hurt yourself.  ❜ ❛   When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world.  ❜ ❛   If you live with us, you’re gonna have to eat like us.  ❜ ❛   You mean a bunch of royal dead guys are watching us?  ❜ ❛   Oh, do lighten up.  ❜ ❛   Why am I not loved?  ❜ ❛   Your timing couldn’t have been more perfect.  ❜ ❛   Then you have sentenced us to death.  ❜ ❛   Let me get this straight. You know her, she knows you, but she wants to eat him, and everybody’s okay with this?  ❜ ❛   I really missed you.  ❜ ❛   You know, you’re starting to sound like my father/mother.  ❜ ❛   You think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life?  ❜ ❛   Would you stop following me? Who are you?  ❜ ❛   I’m not the one who’s confused. You don’t even know who you are!  ❜ ❛   The past can hurt, but from the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.  ❜ ❛   Remember who you are.  ❜ ❛   Carnivores, ugh!  ❜ ❛   This is my kingdom. If I don’t fight for it, who will?  ❜ ❛   What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?  ❜ ❛   If it weren’t for you he/she would still be alive. It’s your fault he/she’s dead.  ❜ ❛   You don’t deserve to live!  ❜ 

             Then came his question. Should she down play that too? She was proud of her accomplishments but what if she intimidated him? She knew how the male ego got. “I’m a journalist. . .For Rollin’ Stone. Like the magazine, you know?”

               He listened to June’s offer to cuddle if he hurried back from his ‘bath’ and he gave his head a contemplative tilt. There was certainly something admirable about her even entertaining the idea while he stood there covered in rotted zombie innards. “We’ll see how you feel about that after I’ve washed off all my makeup. I’d hate for you to tweet at me about taking me swimming on the first date or some shit,” he quipped facetiously, ignoring the fact that Twitter and the internet were no more. Or that nothing about what he was covered in was even kind of ‘makeup.’ Brandon grabbed a basket of toiletries and a towel from the small closet nearest him and gave June a half ass salute before he turned and stepped back out the camper door.

               “First date?” She questioned, a smirk on her face as she looked over at him. “Yeah, if you’re lucky.” She scoffed, turning over and sticking her head into the pillow again and closing her eyes. She was wide awake now but she refused to get up, instead she simply ended the conversation and waved him off as she heard him leave. “Might as well pick up breakfast on your way back!” She hollered to him as he walked out, doubting he’d do it but hell, it was worth a shot!

“Ex-Excuse me, Miss? Have – Have you seen this teddy bear?” Trill asked, holding up a sign she’d made of a drawing of the lost teddy. “A boy at the park lost it a few days ago and I – I wanted to help him find it, so I’m asking people… and putting up flyers.”

                “A teddy bear?” She asked, stopping in her tracks and looking down at the little girl. Odd request but it put a smile on her face nonetheless and she took the drawing to further inspect. “I can’t say I have. . .Sorry, honey. Where’ve you looked so far?”

 ​​          ​❛ ..i’m not going to tell you about my crush – err.. my relationship. i’m thirty, i don’t have ‘crushes’. and you’re like, seventeen or something. ❜

                   “Twenty-three, actually.” She corrected with a grin, shrugging off the somewhat insult to focus on the much more pressing matter at hand. “But what the hell does that matter? Love is love. Cmon, spill the beans, missy! Is he cute?. . .Is she cute?”