Do You Still Like Us?

and so 4 intrepid gals set off, bold and glam and confident. they have spent some time glamming and some time bolding and now they set off boldly glam. it is a short lived glam in the humid aire, but they laugh off their sliding blushes and goopy contours. they know they need only be wary the cold. too much heat usually means nonsense and they can all deal with nonsense, but too much cold means something else, and then/than who knows? so they slam through underbrush and higherbrush and all the middlebrush until they are panting for a full breath and a long draught of water. but they are smart and have tracked themselves a river. and as they dip down to refresh themselves with gulps of clear, fresh, flowing waters, a cool breeze cools the cloy and clinging, hot beads of sweat from their smudgy, glammed brows, a flash of a hand flashes out from beneath the surface, grabbing one of the girls fully below the water. a beat. less then/than a moment. 3 intrepid gals dive beneath the surface of a freezing and rushing

there is tea, comfy chairs and warmy warmness that besets the moment. the moment is real and appreciated. the talks go long and deep and seemingly forever, in a comfortable and forever kind of way. naps come here and there, more tea, and more naps by sunny windows and silvery moonlights until slowly it dawns on them, this is going oon far too long. ‘why does this stretch?’ “yes,...i am alone, but we can stay here safe and fine, talking safe and fine, being, safe, and fine” ‘but we have farther to go’ “where do you have to go?” ‘we have not found it yet’ }{][ 8ut we w111//[/ w33e goob g0000 0N fЯЯ3nd *t]]” “yes, yes, leave me the crumbs as you tumbles off into adventure, leave me here alone agÆin and as alwÆys” ...,. ‘do you want to come?’ “real?” ‘y33sh’ “yes”

through the thickness of it all 3 gals shakily stand to their feet. the ground is soft, but their fall was hard and they are immediately sore and put out. :”:” oh no!, we ЯЯ söref and brökenf”:”?>?” ‘sore’ ‘not broke’ ‘stand firm and quick’ll’ the 3 little girls confidently and roughly stand as a new and hungry craver climbs into the space, thick and sore and ready too pounce on 3 strong, confident and sore gals standing against the angst. ‘aw you want us broke too_’ ... “hehehe, i see 3 marvelous creatures tumble from such a height and I do not offer them a comfy chair and tea to rest, and hope they share their tales, ehhhhhh, that’d be ghastly” the thickness remains, but the moment is calm, quiet and clear. what once was has now gone and only a cold and stuffy stillness remains. ‘we apologize’ ‘we have judged to quick’ “ehhhhhhhh, these things can happen, eyes can play trickity tricks, the important thing is too keep one’s wicktity wits” ... ‘yes’ ‘we would love some tea’ ))we dio not no U\}” “than let’s ha

a dank and damp breath fills the space thickly, sickly, deeply. as the 3 girls strain hard against the hard branches and clinging vines sharp, slick talons tear into the space. ripping, gnashing just outside darkness blinded by blinding shafts of bright, shine and shining light poking through the momentary gaps and moments. a deep terror fills the space. and then pure chance hits. the bottom falls out and the 3 girls fall and tumble to the soft ground below. screeching, mad tearing lashes out harmlessly above, stuck, infuriated, harmless. ‘this is a dangerous place’ ‘very’ “””’we n33333333D t) gobb b@4(k::””;;’)) ‘no, no it’s ok’ ‘these things can happen’ ‘but we must not lose our nerve now’ ‘anything can happen’ the 2 brave girl’s little sweet smiles shine wicked in the soft underlights. thick, cold fogs grow around them. it is a reassuring and inspiring smile. it is a cold and thick crowd of fogs.

as 3 gals watch all it unfolded they begin to slid backwards through greasy slime and slimy moss, the quiet and unassuming speed quickly turning tumble well too soon until they are too soonly tangled deep, thick and hard, thick in vine and mossy slime, stuck hard and fast. too soon they hear a beating and impatient breath pounding closer and closer. a hungry and nasty crunching fills the hot, damp, cramped aire, hunger drawing closer and near, racking nearly and closely, clawing too close and too near. not a moment too lose 3 stuck gals squirm with all their might.

fury pours forth, a steaming heat only adding to the already humid, thick and dripping aire. “Shut ya trap birdie, you’re screeching is burning up the place, dummy!” the lizard’s laughter pours thick as red bleeds bright and red hot, thick through the bird’s being, rage and rage and rage upon rage floods forth, razor, thick talons shredding wood, vine and steaming, clinging, supple moss in it’s furious pursuit of weak, supple flesh. “You’ll never dig deep enough you silly fool!” the lizard’s too pleased laughter pushes the moment hard, harsh, real. the bird cannot win. the bird hates this moment, but has no way to understand their utter disappointment and utter hopelessness. the bird falters, in self. “Do not despair you silly thing, you are a bird and I am a lizard. Today I win and gloat, but tomorrow maybe, maybe something different. Today you lost, but you did not die.” the gesture is beyond the bird, who can only shake their head and lose fury, this goes beyond capacity. the bird breaths deeply as they bl

mighty and majestic a bird of pure predator swoops, dives, scents delicious and hidden food. scratching deep at crevice and dark crack as the lizard slinks safely deeper and laughs safely to itself. it is a warm and scaly and too loud laugh that infuriates the bird and instigates a deeper, meaner search of the area from the now angry, hungry beast. soon the bird finds the scent of 3 brave and new gals hastily hidden, it’s talons rake deeper, closer, meaner, anger more than instinct, purposed and leaking agenda. the safe lizard cackles at the blind stupidity of it all as the 3 gal’s hearts pound harder at the closeness of consequence. “You pathetic thing, you scratch for worms while I stand here, you will never win you dum worm eater.” it is a mean and heartless feint, and it works, the lizard draws the bird’s sharp attention as 3 shocked gals spill and sneak quickly into the grey shadow outside focus, hiding safe as they now watch the moment ensue before them.

and so a crazy and silly adventure ensues. plunging down a dark and twisting hole, deeper and deeper they plunge. quick hot breath builds up in the too stuffy way, heart pounding uncomfortably sweating sheens on foreheads and smalls of back as they all race farther and farther onward. until peeking rays of sunlight and thickly swelling heat wrapped in sticky nonsense crowds the aire thick. it pours down their throats and fills their lungs, warm and sticky and uncomfortable. the fluffy cottontail they chased is no more and they find themselves tumbling onto a thick branch cleaving mighty and high through a jungled aire. before them belches a thick and multi colored lizard, nature and instinct incarnate, recently well feed and contently sunning in a thick and brightly shining shaft of pounding sunlight. then a sharp screech from above and that crafty creature wiggles itself snug in a crack of tree and shadow, hid and safe and snug. they are no fools, they hear danger too and so the 3 strange, brave adventurers

and so they sit and think, about the moment, about each other...2 little girls wonder if they can trust, everything seems lost and wrapping and warping in weird ways...but can they trust? ??>> CAN i trust u?>>”” ‘we we’re gonna ask the same thing’ a laugh...and a real stare “”””I “””don””t know?’ ‘same, but let’s try;;; moments ago..cuteness enticed them too quick...but still they linger ‘i feel our story lingers’ PPPO]lingers***]]] ‘langish’ ... +_+_prehaps, we dive in>>>>>> ..... ...>>>> i fear, but prehaps....I should ++ ‘shush silly’ ‘lets be silly’ ;lets trust to trust’ }{}|||~whuuuuuuy))))( ‘because WE are real’ ‘because WE are silly’

chase escalates as a cute and quick fluffy bob of cotton dances just always out of reach, a tickle just beyond the sense, reach and preach, almost distraction with it’s own bent and agenda...they chase cute until a deft hop plunges cuteness into a turnt and wicked hole hiding behind the shadow of a twistedly heavy and morose tree. “^^%Fo!!03,,,w3, fo((ow]]¿¿!]” ‘we should think’ ‘a breath before’ “@DV3NT&R#!!!@” ‘of course!’ ‘but we choose’ “t4h4i555 t4R33 looOOls w3irds” ‘exactly’ ‘let’s think’

a simple thing turns impossibly different turns harder than imagined turns wacky. jibberish turns into curious. there are words passed between, but more important their is now lived constantly, nothing to hide behind, nothing to duck out of, only here, and now, and on their way “home”. so house/home begins to make themselves known and now and 2 little girls realize things have shifted. It is overwhelming, it is uncomfortable, it is unwanted, but it is real...things have changed. and as 2 little girls steal a quick, uneasy glance to one another they just barely catch a quick and wondrous happening just out of the corner of their eye. ‘oh what’s that now?’ ‘it’sa quick bugger!’ “XXZZ>>>WHAT?” ‘you didn’t see that?’ “

‘whose they?’ “YOU” ‘us?” “YES” ... ‘ok’ ‘we are very tired’ ‘but you seem very interesting’ ‘walk with us and we can talk along the way’ “IT IS A LONG WAY BACK< **** MANY WINDY WAYS AND BY WAYS< ******MAYBE TOO FARRRRRRRRR” ‘maybe, but maybe there are new things to see’ ‘maybe new things to say’ ‘maybe new things to hear’ ... “MAYBE” ... “BUT IT IS A LONG WAY BAAACVK *******MAYBEEE TOOOX FARRRRXX” ... ‘maybe’ ‘but lets try’ ... “OK*”

... ‘ok do not tell us hehehe’ ‘so what do we call you’ “Call mE” ‘yes whats your name silly’ ... “SILLY’” ... ‘no’ ‘hehehehe’ ‘your real name’ “MY NAME IS HOUSE” ‘oh’ ... “THEY ALSO CALL ME...HOME” ‘...oh’ ...

... “WHERE DO YOU GO” ‘we are going home’ “WHAT IS HOME?” ... ‘it is the place we are going silly’ “THERE IS NO HOME” ... ‘we have a lovely home’ ‘and we’d love to have some tea with you there’ “I AM HOME AND I AM GONE’ ... ‘you are a silly thing’ ‘come with us’ ‘to our home’ ‘for a while at least’ ‘just a little bit with us’ ‘at least’ “YOU ARE SWEET, BUT I TELL TRUE, THERE IS NO HOME” ... ‘we are sorry’ ‘but we are tired’ ‘and cannot engage this silly’ ‘but you can come back with us’ “THERE IS NO BACK” ... ‘walk us back home and we can share and nap and everything’ ‘we promise’ “YOU CANNOT PROMISE BACK WITH YOU, NAP WITH YOU OR ANYTHING! THERE IS NO BACK WITH YOU, THERE IS NO HOME WITH YOU, THERE IS ONLY THE END OF YOU” ‘what do you mean” “DO NOT MAKE ME TELL YOU” ...

Beyond the poetry of the moment, 2 little, tired girls journey back home. It is not the end of it, it is not the easy of it, but still 2 little girls journey back home. Home has changed and the journey back has changed, beyond their effort, things have changed, beyond their wins, things have changed, and 2 little girls cannot ignore it. It is changed and 2 little girls must navigate, deal, wrap themselves around it. It is now a simple and hazy thing, but it has changed in their absence. It is now. It stands before them, real and tangible, a personhood in their midst. ... “HELLO” ‘hello’ ‘hello’

A gilded wood, sun soaked and hazy with a thick and humid fog clinging thick, slick, lazy upon the damp, mossy forest floor. Hand in hand the 2 little girls walk and slip upon their slippery walk, recounting tales and yarns and things already beginning to spin past lost. There are sad songs and laughter and longing and after and going keep goings and all here and now theres.

2 little girls depart their familiar pirate ship, a wink and a nod is all that is passed as the moment hangs heavy with accomplishment and sincerity. Jessie, that marvelous, fresh Captain, stands proud upon her deck. “You were beyond something else...you were really something out there.” ‘thank you Captain’ ‘we love you Captain’ 2 little girls stand still and watch as their old ship dips beyond horizon and fading sunset, they boldly whisper past the salty, stingy air: ‘we see you’ ‘always’ 2 little girls, confident and brave, cry. For the end of things, for the end of the wonder, for the end. ... 2 brave, confident little girls, wipe their tears away, smile to one another and begin their journey back home.

Slow too learn the beastie finds itself in everyone’s way. But the crew is capable and they make space. It is not always easy, but it is always forward and always new. And too soon the girls feel the pang of ending as the time of end soon approaches. No one mentions it, but still it hangs heavy and real. The many new stories they make are now left for another time, and perhaps the 2 little girls will recount the marvelous tales over dying fires with friends tried and true, but for now these stories sail the endless seæs, ignoring ends and stops, ignoring the wrongs long past, sailing endlessly ever off and far beyond.

The walk back to the ship is long, dark, slow, but it is not gruesome. The beasties gears slowly wind tighter into themselves, filling the thickening silence with greasy squeeks and smoky, clingy scents. The walk back to ship is one of tears, grief, acceptance, but it is not shameful. The beastie leads the way, newer with each step, truer and still unsure of the way forward. The walk back to the ship ends, begins, a new start, but it is not the true end. The beastie tentatively steps onto the deck of the ship, as the moment holds fast and the worried crew stops and stares. ... ‘we return’ ‘we sail’ “Yes Captain!” ... “...And the beastie?” ‘sails with us’ “Yes Captain!”

A moment pulls taut as a clockwork beastie cranks into presence, a sharp, piercing grinding that sets their teeth to electric edge. IT now exists before them, cloaked in abomination and terror, unbeatable, untenable, unknowable and unimaginable horror. The crew quakes, but 2 brave girls step forward. Through their fear, through their loss and humiliation, through their soul breaking failures, they stride forward, brave and little, 2 girls approach hand in hand, together. ... ‘we see you’ ‘and we will love you’ :A TRICK: ‘a truth’ ‘hard won’ ‘and bravely pressed’ :ARROGANT COWS=MEANINGLESS WORDS TO BUY TIME FOR ANOTHER TRICK: ‘no trick’ ‘we bring sight’ ‘love’ ‘real’ ‘now’ :THERE IS NO REAL!!**!! THERE IS ONLY NOW**!!**HATE AND NOW!!++: ‘we give you love’ ‘earned by no merit’ ‘a thing bold and true’ ‘a gift that can never be unmade’ :+++***///%%%::YOU ARE MONSTERS: FORCING YOURSELF UPON THE MOMENT:: ‘we are real’ ‘we are now’ ‘and we see you’ ‘will you accept an unearned thing?’ ‘will you be seen for the monst