Issue 6 - November2020
Francis
By Chaja Jamie Marie “Look, I know you aren’t happy with your life right now, but you’re an addict Francis. I can't keep watching you waste away in front of me.” Francis slowly opened their eyes gazing at their disheveled boyfriend—or rather ex-boyfriend— pacing around his flat, shaking his hands as if he were ringing the guilt out of them. “Look, I don't want to do this, a-and you probably don’t know what I’m saying cause you’re clearly out of it, but you have to leave.” Francis watched as he walked toward the front door and opened it, a triplaction of him following his every move, each one cast in a purple and blue, each version staring Francis down as the tension visibly thickened. As Francis rose to their feet—which were pointing in two different directions—their ex-boyfriend, whose name they couldn’t remember for the life of them till it floated above his head in a red hot wispy cloud of smoke, continued to ramble on about Francis’ bad habits. They had surprised themselves, falling for someone named “Matthew.’’ “Acid. All you ever do is drop acid,” he shouted. “I had to basically feed you while you were in your own little world! A world that doesn’t make sense. All you ever do is take acid and trip out. How do you think that makes me feel, Francis? How do you think I feel? What about me Francis!” Francis wasn’t affected by the sudden screaming, they had gotten used to it ever since they started doing acid. “You’re not even listening! You know what, get out of my apartment.” Last time Francis checked, they paid rent there too. Apparently Francis hadn’t reacted fast enough cause now Matthew's hands were on their shoulders and the front door seemed to be floating closer and closer until it engulfed Francis and everything was peach color and bland. They felt sick, everything was so devoid of life and all Francis could hear were harsh screams and saw creatures trapped behind the walls, clawing their way out. Francis scurried to the exit in fear. Of course they had bad trips once in a while, but not like this. Never like this. Where’s the exit? Where’d it go? Why is there just a drawing of a door in green chalk? What’s happening? I’m so confused. Wait.
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