Ten.One Thousand, Five Hundred & Fifty-One

1. I know it’s almost time for me to get up.

2. But there is still enough time to make mixed-berry scones.

3. Raspberries are watery. Next time I need to account for the added moisture.

4. I start to say it but then hesitate. Because sometimes he’s just joking.

5. I try to make a plan of attack. If I plan properly, it should be easy. Right? Right.

6. All of this country music reminds me of high school in Missouri. And also, that one time that we had a line-dancing test in gym back in Maryland.

7. Red Flag Warning.

8. Ice cream cake after lunch. There is something so sweet about sitting under the persimmon tree together.

9. I am slow, but I try to be thorough.

10. He tells one last story. I imagine the Father’s large hand smacking the back of Anthony’s head. I imagine the sound of Anthony’s head slamming into the blackboard. I imagine Anthony's blood on the chalkboard. I imagine Anthony crying and cleaning the blood off of the board and trying to gather up enough composure to rewrite the number 5, in a normal size, like the Father asked the first time.

11. I come for stories like these.

12. Turkey burgers.

13. I do the trainings and I can’t decide if I am more nervous or more prepared. A combination of both.

14. I am sitting in the chair that faces the windows. Beyond the windows is nothing but darkness. Pitch black save a few squares of yellow-orange glows dotting the mountainsides - windows of the houses perched on the rocks above. I hear the wind blowing through the trees. It is loud. That sound used to remind me of the ocean waves. Now, it just sounds like fire.