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Where the hell do you even begin to respond to that? Well, you mutter, still flatfooted by someone actually asking how <span class="mu-i">you’re</span> doing for once, you’re… really <span class="mu-i">shitty</span>, to be honest!
That puts a smirk on Raj’s face. “Heh… I bet, dude.”
I mean, you continue, you didn’t even plan on sticking around tonight… a couple of hours ago the plan was to get into the party, maybe mess around in a closet with Pepper for a bit, grab some drinks, jump in the pool… but now you’re fighting <span class="mu-i">MONSTERS?</span> What the fuck?
“... I’m sorry, man…” Sighs Raj as he gives your forearm a gentle pat, “My buddies said the parties in the last few years were <span class="mu-i">righteous</span>...” His smile fades away again. “Guess I false-advertising’d ya...”
Hey, you counter with a frown forming on your face, he has <span class="mu-i">NOTHING</span>, I repeat, <span class="mu-s">NOTHING</span> to apologize for!
“... you know that ain’t true, man…” Groans the skater as he stares up at the ceiling. “Nice of ya to say, though.”
A-anyways, you stammer as you struggle to get back on track, you should be asking <span class="mu-i">HIM</span> how <span class="mu-i">HE’S</span> doing! So uh…
You give the back of your head a good scratch.
How <span class="mu-i">IS</span> he doing?
Raj gives you a vague gesture with both hands. “Not… not too excellent, bro.”
Yea, you nod, you’ll bet…
You don’t have to ask him what he’s talking about, of course.
Did uh, you continue in a measured tone, did he know him well?
“Ronnie?” Raj asks, wincing at the mention of the now-dead jock, “Shit, dude, I used to go to his house all the time when we were in <span class="mu-i">Elementary</span>…” You can’t see his eyes, but when the skater sniffs a bit you can tell what’s happening. “We played with… with fucking <span class="mu-i">cars</span> and shit together, bro…”
The skater rises into a sitting-up position and looks at you as a single tear runs down his face.
“And that monster… it just, like, ended all that history, y’know? Turned Ronnie off like he was a <span class="mu-i">light switch</span> or something…”
The gruesome scene replays in your head as clear as day… along with that sickening crunch.
“And I…” mutters Raj as he curls up again, “Ronnie was a fighter, bro… he coulda’ taken that thing if I…”
Punctuating his sentence with a shake of his head, Raj falls back into silence. You didn’t kill him, Raj, you say in a clear voice.
“... I didn’t <span class="mu-i">help</span> him either, dude...”
You’re not sure how to respond to that.
In any case, he’s talking to you… would it be better to change the subject?
>DID THE NURSE SAY ANYTHING TO YOU?
>SO PEPPER LIED TO ME AND MINA’S… INTENSE…
>I WANNA TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
>YOU AND DARREN GONNA BE OKAY?
>ANY THOUGHTS ON (CHARACTER)?
>WHAT’S YOUR NEXT STEP, RAJ?
>I’VE BEEN FEELING STRANGE…
>NEVER MIND, I’LL LEAVE YOU TO IT!
>WRITE-IN!
