Mr. Raney was always a favorite of ours. Our neighborhood is one of the loveliest neighborhoods around. When he first moved in everyone breathed a sigh of relief because he moved into the ugliest and most neglected house on the street. We expected great things from him.

Staring into a vast,

 black emptiness

 counting sheep-1, 2, 3...

 Consciously lying under

 the matted black blanket,

 Until all consciousness

 has been lost out to sea.

She uncovers her eyes

She’s dying inside.

She’s starving from anticipation.

So much food wasted.

She paces the floor and drinks another glass of water.

She’s hardcore.

Her skin is tight.

She’s starting to show,

I awoke from the dream, still somewhat fatigued and ravenously hungry. The wheels beneath me stammered over the open road, bumping along like Morse code in tune to the music of the teenager seated beside me.