the world's dumpster

[A thin bar of white text on a solid black background, reading “6:00 a.m.”]

[A pair of lilac eyes, curved like the upper half of a goldfish cracker, are wide open with surprise, as though unexpectedly awoken.]

[Rose Lalonde (to whom the eyes belong) finds herself on her back, body orthogonal to the long white plank on which she lay. Her head and feet jut over either side of the board and dip towards the water below. Rose’s arms are unavailable due to her torso being wrapped in chain and lock, for which no key is available.]

[It becomes apparent that the plank lay no more than a few feet above water. Rose shifts her attention to a silhouette seated against the wall at the base of the plank.]

[The silhouette belongs to a blind puppet. Smiling ever so kindly, the pinocchio gives Rose some free and fun advice from a signboard it holds, written in red: “THE EXIT IS IN THE WATER”]

[Rose offers a silent “Thank you” with a sidelong glance.]

[Steeling herself, Rose turns from her benefactor.]

[Rose exits the plank. “Splash”]