heat haze

 “Well, y’know, I kind of hate summer.”

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8.15.15

12:30 PM

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It’s the dead middle of August, a month most commonly known for its sweltering weather (read: a month that is hot as fuck in proper terms). Yet, the air today isn’t stifling as you step outside, keys jingling in your hand. Sure, it isn’t cool, but it’s enough for you. And presumably for your friend as well, going off the hasty text she sent you earlier.


to: you, from: <3

[ txt ] : meet me @ the park in 10??

Strange as it was, you obliged, rolling out of your bed with a muffled complain to your bird in its cage beside it. After taking a shower in record time, and shoving some casual clothes on, here you were, yawn still off the tip of your tongue.

Your tangled hair was left unattended, but you doubt she would care anyway.

Going down the sidewalk now, you noticed it was… quiet. Which, in your neighborhood for a Friday, was strange. You took no meaning into this and continued on your way to the rendezvous point.

(You should have. You really should have.)

Your fingers busied themselves with your phone as you walked, pulling up some random idol game you found in the app store. What was it called, Love Life? Love Live? Something of the sort. You kept telling yourself you didn’t care, but the dedication you put into advancing levels says otherwise.

Before you knew it, your shoes bumped into trimmed grass as you came to a halt before the entrance. Even here, it was quiet. Still, you paid no mind. You headed to the place you knew where she would be: a set of swings you played at since you were children.

As always, there she was, swaying back and forth gently, oddly still. Well, for such an bright person, anyway.

“Hey,” you called out quietly, disturbing the dirt around the swing as you took a seat. “So, what’d you call me out here for in the middle of a Friday, xxx?”

She turned to you, with a coy smile already settled on their lips. “It’s not like you had anything else to do, right?”

You let out an indignant huff before falling into familiar silence, her hums filling the sticky air. A breeze blew past, ruffling up your hair, and you sniffed. She was right, of course, and she knew it. Apparently, being childhood friends gave her firsthand rights to personally bully you, but that was fine. You paid no mind.

“Ah, look! A cat!” She blinked, her eyelashes fluttering, before she stretched her hands out to the cat that had… appeared by itself, probably. It was black with slit eyes the color of caramel. Nothing short of friendly, it crawled right into xxx’s lap, purring all the while.You just smiled, slight as it was, and looked out to the horizon. The empty road at the end of the path leading away from the swings, the blazing Sun.

It was a tranquil scene. Fitting for the two of you.

Then, the cat (which she had dubbed as Yams, for what reason, you would never know. Maybe it was his eyes?) jumped off of its perch. It began to wonder off, tail flicking back and forth. You just raised your eyebrows at the sudden leave, but xxx had an odd expression on her face, looking after it. One glance your way, and she was rising as well, following the mewling ball of fluff.

… Strange. Usually, you would pay no mind, but unease settled in your gut. You followed. Just for the sake of it, you told yourself.

It wasn’t until you came face first with a glaring red light, attached to a traffic pole, turning a brilliant green that you noticed.

(You should have. You really should have– the road was directly in your path.)

Your eyes automatically searched out, and as you suspected, the cat was on the other side of the road, idly licking its paw. As for her– she was dead in the middle, hands still outstretched feebly. Calling out gently, “Yams… here, kitty kitty… come to me,” as a truck slammed on its brakes– where did it even come from?

You screamed. You screamed brokenly when the sound of bones on metal sounded through the air.

Twisted limbs, mangled hair, blood trickling out the corner of her open mouth. The truck driving away in a hurry. A hit and run.

Bile rose in your throat as it burned– everything burned, and your knees gave way. Crumpled on the ground, you shut your eyes, pulse pounding.

Except… when they reopened, tears leaking through, they landed on the cat still sitting across the street. Its piercing gaze was fixated directly on you, and you sobbed.

Distantly, you felt the heat. You felt like you were in a haze.

Distantly, you hear a voice.

“This is all real.”

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You wake up on August 14th, sometime past 12 in the morning.