The light is dimming by the minute. I notice it makes the swelling sky ever more impenetrable. Darkness seems so eager to devour everything…

“I said, I’m really gonna miss you”, she almost whispers. I realise I wasn’t quite listening. It’s just the two of us in this big empty parking lot.

“Now now, let’s not get carried away, shall we? I’ll only be away for a couple of months. No big deal!”, I say cheerily.

“You’re doing it again!” She looks somewhat crossed.

“Doing what?”

“You’re pushing me away, as you always do when you feel like I’m getting too close.”

I keep my cool, “I haven’t the dimmest idea what you’re talking about. Come here, let me give you a hug to prove you wrong…”

“Fuck your hugs and fuck your stupid act!” She shoves me back.

I know I can recover from this. “If you didn’t like hugs, you could’ve just told me, Shirl. I can do back rubs, how about that?”

“You know what I hate about you, Rob?” She’s on the verge of tears for some reason, “…You know what? Forget it…” I barely hear these words as she’s turning away and leaving.

I grab her wrist, “Shirl! Shirl. Since when can’t you take a joke?”

Her look incinerates me. I let go.

“Alright then, see you in a few weeks, ok?”

I don’t think she’s heard this as she’s already slammed the door of her car shut.

As she disappears in the charred horizon, I feel that something somewhere in my body is amiss.