Ten.One Thousand, Nine Hundred & Twenty-Three

1. Wilting roses.

2. The quiet arrival of dawn.

3. Last day of school for the week; I am unprepared for this.

4. Work Dad wants to make the stairs safer for us to come up and down.

5. Popcorn and cookies. I skip the Cava and drink in conversation instead.

6. The words coming out of their mouths are the exact words I let out of mine, and now I feel less alone. Less crazy. Less upset.

7. Before he leaves, he tells me to be careful. A mountain lion is hanging around. “Well, we are in nature,” I say.

8. One of the few times that I am alone in the building. I play Chopin and drink more water while I cruise through this one last task. The sun is setting, and the room is getting darker and darker.

9. What is the dream?

10. Where do you want to go?