###@$**=:. .:=**$@###
###@$**=:. .:=**$@###
###@$**=:. .:=**$@###
#$*=...... ......=*$#
###@$**=:. .:=**$@###
###@$**=:. **=====:::. .:::=====** .:=**$@###
@*===:.... * * ....:===*@
###@$**=:. * MIRAGE CLASS GOTH GF * .:=**$@###
##@*=..... * * .....=*@##
#$***:.... **=====:::. .:::=====** ....:***$#
#$*=:..... .....:=*$#
@$**==.... ....==**$@
###@$**=:. I USED TO BE A GOTH, IN MY YOUTH, DOING .:=**$@###
###@$**=:. CRIMES MOSTLY FROM OR IN MY BELOVED AND .:=**$@###
@@@@$**=:. TRUSTED CAR, AND SOMETIMES MY MOTHERS .:=**$@@@@
@***==:::. 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 ......:**@
@@$*==.... DARKNESS. I KNEW THE WAY THE SKY ....==*$@@
###@$**=:. TOUCHED THE GROUND. THIS WAS HER DOING! .:=**$@###
##@$$**=:. SHE WAS HERE! .:=**$$@##
#@@**=.... ....=**@@#
#@*=...... ......=*@#
#$**=:.... ....:=**$#
###@$**=:. .:=**$@###
#$*=::.... ....::=*$#