Comfortable Madness second PDF 4-16-18 Corey FirstSubmission CreateSpace

Real Enough
Orion hung in the southern sky, just west enough to dip his
toe into the Coast Range. Somewhere out there, the Pleiades rode
Taurus like witches riding dreamers. I couldn’t find them though.
The moon was small, lopsided. Frogs filled the darkness with their
throaty songs. Faces formed in the light from the windows. Dead
folks told me things. They called my name.
“It’s easy,” they said. “Just walk away.”
I couldn’t though. Everywhere I went, the world followed.
This world and the world in my head. Noises and colors lay on
everything like leaves rotting in the woods. I closed my eyes and
waited.
“Are you coming to bed?” Tayla asked.
I jumped. Tayla had a way of sneaking up on me.
“Butter?”
“He’s coming,” I said.
“Shit.”
Tayla came and put her hand on my back. Tayla had strong
fingers. She was a powerful woman.
“Come to bed,” she said.
“He’s going to hurt me,” I said.
Tayla sighed.
“I’m here,” she said.
“So is he,” I said.
“Butter…”
I spun and stared at her. She stared back. This was not a
night to fight. This was not how I wanted the day to end. I went to
bed. I followed Tayla to the bathroom. She showered with me as if
she was afraid I’d drown myself.
“He’s real enough,” I said.
“I know,” Tayla said.
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