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.......,=\ = = \=,.......
........,= = MIRAGE CLASS GOTH GF = =,........
........., = = ,.........
.......... =\=====,,,. .,,,=====\= ..........
........., ,.........
........,= =,........
.......,=\ I USED TO BE A GOTH, IN MY YOUTH, DOING \=,.......
......,=\= CRIMES MOSTLY FROM OR IN MY BELOVED AND =\=,......
.....,=\=@ TRUSTED CAR, AND SOMETIMES MY MOTHERS @=\=,.....
....,=\=@& BARN. WE LIVED JUST OUTSIDE TOWN, A &@=\=,....
...,=\=@ GROVE AT THE END OF A DIRT ROAD, AND #&@=\=,...
..,=\=@# THE BARN WAS PLACED SO YOU COULD JUST ##&@=\=,..
.,=\=@## MAKE OUT THE SURROUNDING FIELDS THROUGH ###&@=\=,.
..,=\=@# THE TREES. ##&@=\=,..
...,=\=@ #&@=\=,...
....,=\=@& MY CAR WAS BLACK AND LOUD, BOTH THE &@=\=,....
.....,=\=@ ENGINE AND THE WAY THE PARTS DIDN'T @=\=,.....
......,=\= REALLY STICK TOGETHER. I TOOK MY =\=,......
.......,=\ CRIMEFRIEND FOR RIDES, IN THE DARK, THE \=,.......
........,= ETERNAL DARK THAT SEEMED TO SURROUND =,........
........., US. SHE SEEMED TO CAST THIS VEIL OVER ,.........
.......... EVERYTHING. HER BLACK SKIRT REACHED TO ..........
........., HER KNEES BUT THEN SOMEHOW ALSO BACK ,.........
........,= AROUND, ENVELOPING ALL MY MEMORIES OF =,........
.......,=\ OUR TIME TOGETHER. \=,.......
......,=\= =\=,......
.....,=\=@ THERE WAS BLOOD EVERYWHERE. SOMETIMES @=\=,.....
....,=\=@& THE BLOOD WAS HER RED LIPSTICK OR HER &@=\=,....
...,=\=@ CHECKERED SHIRT. SHE WAS ON TELEVISION. #&@=\=,...
..,=\=@# WE DID CRIME, AND WE MADE WEIRD ##&@=\=,..
.,=\=@## STRUCTURES IN THE BARN, TALL PILLARS OF ###&@=\=,.
..,=\=@# DARK WOOD, LADDERS AND PLATEAUS, FIRES ##&@=\=,..
...,=\=@ AND FAIRY LIGHTS. WE WOULD SLEEP THERE #&@=\=,...
....,=\=@& AND DRINK THERE AND SHE WOULD GO IN THE &@=\=,....
.....,=\=@ TELEVISION. @=\=,.....
......,=\= =\=,......
.......,=\ AND THEN THE SUN CAME OUT, AND SHE WENT \=,.......
........,= AWAY. EVERYTHING CHANGED... I YEARNED, =,........
........., AND THE WORLD BECAME DULL AROUND ME. ,.........
.......... ..........
........., I STOPPED DOING CRIME, EXCEPT WHEN ,.........
........,= NECESSARRY. THINGS SOMEHOW SEEMED LIKE =,........
.......,=\ THEY WERE ALLRIGHT, MOULDED IN PLACE, \=,.......
......,=\= AND I LOATHED IT ------ I MISSED HER =\=,......
.....,=\=@ SO MUCH. @=\=,.....
....,=\=@& &@=\=,....
...,=\=@ #&@=\=,...
..,=\=@# =====,,. .,,===== ##&@=\=,..
.,=\=@## ###&@=\=,.
..,=\=@# ##&@=\=,..
...,=\=@ I SEARCHED FOR HER, BUT NOBODY HAD ANY #&@=\=,...
....,=\=@& MEMORIES OF HER. NOT SO MUCH OF ME &@=\=,....
.....,=\=@ EITHER, FROM THE TIME WE WERE TOGETHER. @=\=,.....
......,=\= MY MOTHER SAID I KEPT TO MYSELF IN THE =\=,......
.......,=\ BARN, OR IN THE CAR. \=,.......
........,= =,........
........., SOMETIMES I COULD STILL SEE HER ,.........
.......... FLASHING BY ON THE TV IN THE BARN. ..........
........., EVERYTHING WAS BLACK THEN, FOR A ,.........
........,= MOMENT. I REMEMBERED HER LAUGH AND KNEW =,........
.......,=\ WE HAD DONE CRIMES TOGETHER, THAT IT \=,.......
......,=\= HAD BEEN REAL... =\=,......
.....,=\=@ @=\=,.....
....,=\=@& &@=\=,....
...,=\=@ =====,,. .,,===== #&@=\=,...
..,=\=@# ##&@=\=,..
.,=\=@## ###&@=\=,.
..,=\=@# I DIED BY GETTING SHOT IN THE HEAD ##&@=\=,..
...,=\=@ WHILE RAMMING THE FENCE TO A MILITARY #&@=\=,...
....,=\=@& FACILITY. BY THIS TIME THEY HAD BEEN &@=\=,....
.....,=\=@ CHASING ME FOR DAYS. I LOST CONTROL @=\=,.....
......,=\= OVER THE CAR, CRASHED IT INTO A ROCK =\=,......
.......,=\ WALL AND FLEW OUT THE WINDSHIELD. \=,.......
........,= =,........
........., AND THEN I GOT UP, AND LOOKED AROUND. ,.........
.......... IT WAS DARK, WHERE IT PREVIOUSLY HAD ..........
........., BEEN A BRIGHT DAY. AROUND ME WHERE ,.........
........,= DOZENS OF CRASHED CARS, ALL MY CAR, =,........
.......,=\ SOME ON FIRE. \=,.......
......,=\= =\=,......
.....,=\=@ THE GROUND WAS STICKY, RED. @=\=,.....
....,=\=@& &@=\=,....
...,=\=@ AND THEN I REALIZED THAT I KNEW THIS #&@=\=,...
..,=\=@# DARKNESS. I KNEW THE WAY THE SKY ##&@=\=,..
.,=\=@## TOUCHED THE GROUND. THIS WAS HER DOING! ###&@=\=,.
..,=\=@# SHE WAS HERE! ##&@=\=,..
...,=\=@ #&@=\=,...
....,=\=@& &@=\=,....
.....,=\=@ @=\=,.....
......,=\= =\=,......
.......,=\ \=,.......