Hank Voight

“And that makes it okay?”

“Are you afraid to die?”

“What would you do if I didn’t come back?”

“Do you know what it’s like?”

“Hasn’t this addiction done enough damage already?”

“Why are your eyes so red?”

“How do you think this ends?”

“Why would I ever want to be with you?”

“Is that what you think of me?”

“Do you know what a gunshot wound feels like?”

“How am I supposed to go on?”

“Can’t you see how fucked up this is?”

“If I told you I hate you, what would you do?”

“Should you be drinking that much?”

“What if we just crash this car and make it all stop?”

“Do the drugs still get you high?”

“Am I the reason you cry every night?”

“When did you stop loving me?”

“Don’t you think you’ve done enough?”

“How did things go so wrong?”

“When did things fall apart?”

“Which part of me wasn’t enough?”

“How do I make you love me again?”

“How much does it hurt knowing you lost me?”

“We’re you trying to destroy us?”

“How do you want to die?”

“Is the weight of it all finally too heavy?”

“Are you okay with having blood on your hands?”

“How do you sleep at night?”

“Can you still sleep at night?”

“Is being high all the time worth losing everything?”

“Can you feel the blood draining from your body?”

“Do you know how it feels to wish for death every day?”

“Will you miss me at all?”

“Can I have one last kiss?”

“Do you understand what you’ve done?”

“Is this how you thought your life would be?”

“Did you expect this to turn out better?”

“Can you really blame me?”

“How could you do this?”

“Can you be the one to do it?”

“Does this mean what I think it means?”

“Are you leaving?”

“How do we fix this?”

“Would you hate me?”

“Do you want to die?”

“How many more innocent people have to die?”

“Can you promise me no one else has to get hurt?”

“Are you satisfied now…?”

“I’m always like this.. Don’t think you get special treatment, Doc”

“ what have we done to each other? “

“ if you don’t talk, i’ll fill silence with: an excruciating story by ____. “

“ i’m so crazy, stupid happy. i met a boy. “

“ i prefer men who are funny, not ‘funny’. “

“ so tell me, ____. who are you? “

“ you know i have to kiss you now. “

“ i’m not someone who hits the panic button but—it’s weird, right? “

“ perfect, time for a quick tour of my failings. “

“ i love having strangers pick at my scabs. “

“ you surprise me. you challenge me. “

“ i go there for the quiet. “

“ everyone told me—and told me and told me—marriage is hard work. “

“ sometimes i want to punch us in the face we’re so cute. “

“ i feel sick. it’s just so bizarre. this is exactly the kind of thing that would happen to ____. “

“ i’ve sworn to never be one those wives. i think i’ve done a good job. “

“ let’s swear we will never be like them. “

“ we have each-other—everything else is background noise. “

“ ____, i don’t get it. it’s like you’re daring me to be someone i don’t want to be. “

“ that’s very sweet of you and very unnecessary. “

“ everyone is studying me, everyone is projecting their bullshit onto me. “

“ i’m going to go benadryl myself to sleep. “

“ you’re happy to be home, but i don’t know if you’re happy i’m with you. “

“ i feel like something you loaded by mistake. something to be jettisoned if necessary. something disposable. “

“ i feel like i could disappear. “

“ can you at least say you love me? “

“ i love you. but, sweetheart, we have to be real careful right now. “

“ i don’t want to fight. i just want to be with you. that’s all. “

“ i went from desperate to pathetic. i became someone i don’t even like. “

“ you’re really just going to walk out now? you are such a coward. “

“ we can’t go on like this. i won’t. “

“ promise me we’ll talk every day from now on. no matter what. “

“ you’ve been lying to me for over a year. “

“ i was so scared for you before. now… i’m fucking petrified. “

“ for valentine’s day, i thought i’d buy a gun. that’s how crazy i’ve become. “

“iI’d have to tell them the truth. and i don’t even know if i believe the truth. “

“ can i really think ____ would hurt me? i’m being paranoid. crazy. “

“ you have to fucking talk to me! “

“ i just don’t believe you anymore. “

“ ____, why have you kept this stuff? it’s like a little box of hate. “

“ i’m not going to be scared anymore. “

“ i’m so much happier now that i’m dead. “

“ you took my pride and my dignity and my hope and my money. you took and took from me until i no longer existed. that’s murder. “

“ you loved a girl i was pretending to be. “

“ i will admit: for someone who likes to win, it’s tempting to be the girl every guy wants. “

“ i made you smarter, sharper. i inspired you to rise to my level. i forged the man of my dreams. “

“ we were happy pretending to be other people. we were the happiest couple i knew. “

“ you actually expected me to love you unconditionally. “

“ you think i would let you/____ destroy me and end up happier than ever? no fucking way. you/____ doesn’t get to win. “

“ you need to learn. grown-ups work for things. grown-ups pay. grown-ups suffer consequences. “

“ i don’t know how decent i feel. “

“ that’s the most disgusting thing i’ve ever heard. “

“ sure i believe you! it’s just the craziest thing i’ve ever heard. “

“ you’re reading it again? you know how it ends. “

“ ever heard that phrase, ____: the simplest answer is often correct? “

“ knowing you were out there was the only thing that’s kept me going these past few years. “

“ why are you so good to me? “

“ why is it that when i need someone to save me, i always think of you? “

“ come. you’re staring at ghosts. “

“ ____ brings out the best in me. “

“ you are so good to me. and i am so exhausted. “

“ i’m so happy you’re here. and i don’t want you to worry for one moment. “

“ you’ll be very safe. i won’t let you get away again. “

“ you scared me. don’t do that. i need to feel safe. “

“ come home, ____. i dare you. “

“ stay with me. i don’t want you to go away/ “

“ you fucking bitch. “

“ stop pretending. “

“ i’m not pretending. you were perfect. “

“ you’re a murderer, ____. “

“ i’m a fighter. i fought my way back to you. “

“ you begged for me to save your life on national tv. and i obliged. “

“ if two people love each-other and can’t make it work, that’s the real tragedy. “

“ remember: don’t turn your back. “

“ i’d never hurt you. i do need you to participate though. that’s fair, right? “

“ you can’t make me raise a child with you, ____. i don’t love you. “

“ we are toxic. we complete each-other in the sickest possible way. “

“ you think you could ever be happy with a nice, normal woman? no, * baby. i’m it. i complete you. i’m the only one who can. “

“ i’ve killed for you. “

“ you’re breaking my heart. “

“ i was with you before you were even born. “

“There is more… fear.”

“This is so unsanitary!“

“What are you looking for?“

“Tasty, tasty, beautiful fear!”

“I need to show you something.”

“Now you’re the one who’s afraid.“

“They’re gazebos! They’re bullshit!“

“This isn’t fun, it’s scary and disgusting.“

“If you lived here, you’d be home by now.“

“I’m glad I got to meet you before you died.“

“What’d you see? You saw something, too?“

“I want to run towards something! Not away!“

“You’ll laugh, you’ll cry! You’ll cheer, you’ll die!“

“It’s summer! We’re supposed to be having fun!“

“I’m not supposed to take things from strangers.”

“I bet I could cheer him up. I’ll give him a balloon.“

“If we stick together, all of us, we’ll win. I promise.“

“Who doesn’t love splashing around in shitty water?“

“Or… you’ll just leave us be. I will take him. Only him.“

“You look like a nice boy. I bet you have a lot of friends.“

“You’ll float down here. We all float down here. Yes, we do!“

“I thought you said you wanted to get out of this town, too?”

“This isn’t real enough for you? I’m not real enough for you?”

“My grandfather was right. I’m an outsider. Gotta stay that way.“

“I know the difference between a bad dream and real life, okay?“

“We were all together when we saw it! That’s why we’re still alive!“

“Can only virgins see this stuff? Is that why I’m not seeing this shit?“

“Or maybe it knows what scares us the most, and that’s what we see.“

“You see it, too. My dad couldn’t see it. I thought that I might be crazy.“

“You shouldn’t thank us too much. Hanging with us makes you a loser, too.“

“Are you just going to pretend it didn’t happen, like everyone else in this town?“

“No! I’ll take him! I’ll take all of you! And I’ll feast on your flesh as I feed on your fear.”

“I can’t believe I pulled the short straw. You guys are lucky we’re not measuring dicks.“

“If any of you opened your eyes, if you really cared, you would see what we’re going through.“

“Well, when you’re a kid, you think the universe revolves around you, that you’ll always be protected and cared for.“

“You wake up suddenly not caring about lives outside your own, nothing going on outside of your front door matters anymore.“

“My grandfather thinks this town is cursed. That all the bad things that happen in this town are because of one thing. An evil thing.“

“You punched me, made me walk through shitty water, dragged me through a crackhouse… and now I’m gonna have to kill this fucking clown.“

“ i’ve been looking after you. ”

“ are those bandages? ”

“ i know you’re [sick/hurt]. ”

“ you’re going to bed. no ifs ands or buts. ”

“ that doesn’t sound good. ”

“ let me see. ”

“ shh, don’t upset yourself. ”

“ and where do you think you’re going? ”

“ blow your nose. ”

“ someone’s feeling better. ”

“ [name], look, there’s nothing there. ”

“ and don’t say you’re fine. ”

“ how many fingers am i holding up? ”

“ all you had to do was stay in bed. ”

“ your hands are trembling. ”

“ take two of these with water. ”

“ i was worried sick! never do that again. ”

“ you need to stay hydrated. ”

“ you fainted.  ”

“ and you didn’t tell me because…? ”

“ squeeze my hand as much as you like. ”

“ eat your soup before it gets cold. ”

“ you want me to leave you alone? in this condition? ”

“ don’t get your germs on me. ”

“ go lay down. ”

“ oh, don’t cry, honey. ”

“ listen to yourself, you aren’t thinking clearly. ”

“ did you hurt yourself? ”

"i'm so happy you called."

"i can handle this. trust me."

"it'll look better once we decorate!"

"don't lie to me."

"i do what i have to do to keep us safe."

"i can fix this."

"why did you stay?"

"don't act like you don't know. i'm in love with you."

"i love you. have done ever since i first laid eyes on you. you don't have to feel the same way. just doesn't make any sense to bottle it up anymore."

"you ever think about what we might've been like? if things had gone differently for us?"

"no. shut up. don't say stuff like that. you can't! just... just stop."

"this is our home. i'm not leaving."

"i won't leave you behind."

"you're not alone anymore. you got me."

"why? i've hurt you so badly... why are you still helping me?"

"i'm not a machine! i can't just stop feeling the way i feel about you!"

"i love you."

"hey, woah... you're hurt!"

"who did this to you? tell me, and i can take care of it."

"i don't need you to take care of me."

"guys/girls/people like me don't get to be with guys/girls/people like you."

"this isn't a fairy tale. i don't need a crystal ball to see this won't end well for me."

"i'd move heaven and hell for you. regardless of how you feel in return."

"when i saw you in that hospital bed... i never want to see that again."

"hey... you're awake. want me to get a nurse?"

"don't be so stupid! acting like i wouldn't care, thinking you know me! you don't! it broke my heart seeing you hurt!"

"...we can't be together. you know that, right? you have to know that."

"i know we broke up, but we can still talk. right?"

"i never asked for any of this!"

‘stay for me.’

‘what’s this between us?’

‘i don’t want your apology.’

‘you know i have feelings for you.’

‘yeah, i remember the drill.’

‘you’ve never hurt me. ever.’

‘then leave her/him/them. at home.’

‘i don’t believe it.’

‘this is breaking my heart.’

‘you met me at a very strange time in my life.’

‘what keeps you up at night?’

‘i wish you were here.’

‘i let you down.’

‘something strange happened here.’

‘you’re not safe here.’

‘i wasn’t ready to say goodbye.’

‘we are not the same, and never will be.’

‘don’t touch me.’

‘is it my fault?’

‘i’m not like them.’

‘i forgot my name again.’

‘i don’t know who i am.’

‘your fear of looking stupid is holding you back.’

‘are you still alive?’

‘i don’t like being told what to do.’

‘am i making you uncomfortable?’

‘nobody cares if you don’t go to the party.’

‘it was supposed to be fun, and you ruined it.’

‘where the hell are my friends?’

would you like to talk about it?

please tell me what’s bothering you.

hey, are you okay?

i don’t have to know everything. just what you’re comfortable telling me.

i’m your friend. of course i care.

there’s nothing bad about going to therapy.

would you like to try a different approach?

i – i didn’t know that. i’m sorry.

is this helping?

i’ll try not to ask a lot of questions.

i’m always here if you need me.

shh, it’s alright. shh. 

we’re safe now. you’re safe now.

it was just a nightmare.

sweetheart, you have to tell me these things.

you know i’d never judge you for that, right?

i’m worried about you.

is something going on? 

everything you say will just be between you and me.

what method do you prefer?

do you need help falling asleep?

anything i could do to help?

why are you like this?

i understand. 

sweetie, is there something you aren’t telling me? what’s wrong?

let’s get you cleaned up.

this is good. this is important. 

you’re healing, and healing takes time. 

we can do more tomorrow.

how about you get some sleep, hm?

bedtime.

it’s ok not to be ok.

tomorrow is another day.

hey, hey, hey. look at me, look at me. it’s okay.

breath in for seven seconds, exhale for eleven …

do you need some space?

“  you  need  to  rest.  ”

“  have  you  eaten  today  ?  ”

“  i  made  you  some  tea  and  soup.  ”

“  i’m  fine,  it’s  nothing.  really.  ”

“  listen,  you  need  to  lay  down.  ”

“  please  listen  to  me.  ”

“  do  i  need  to  force  you  to  the  doctors  ?  ”

“  i  hate  chicken  soup.  ”

“  i  can’t  just  lay  about  in  bed  all  day  !  ”

“  it  hardly  hurts  anymore,  honestly.  

“  you’re  burning  up  !  ”

“  lay  back  down  right  now.  ”

“  i  have  things  to  do  today  !  ”

“  i’m  just  dehydrated,  that’s  all.  ”

“  i  will  lock  you  in  your  room  if  you  don’t  stay  in  bed.  ”

“  let  me  take  care  of  you.  ”

“  you  don’t  have  to  do  everything  yourself.  ”

“  i  don’t  need  your  help.  ”

“  i  ran  you  a  bath.  ”