julia sent me a video of my cats. she knew i missed them.  i ran up to the computer lab to watch it but my college roommates were already there, in my account, playing it before i even had a chance to see it.  they were oblivious to boundaries and expected privacy and didn’t understand why i was hurt.  when i watched the video it was 2 cats but not mine.  gray and orange, but not bandit and jaspers.  the orange one was between jaspers and raj, the gray one between grace and bandit.
a friend has confided that he was sexually assaulted by a former teacher.  it was years ago but the impact is only being realized and the emotions are raw.  i confront her on his behalf.  she doesn’t deny it.
in my apartment, i can hear my new neighbors talking through the wall.  they are talking about the rules of a tarot game and how many people they need to join.  i go out my back door through halls of library archives to a half door at the back of their apartment.  i lean in and say hello, mention that i wouldn’t mind playing.  she tells me her name.  i write it down but i can never remember it.  Aleile?  Alela?
At night the tentacles come out.  they aren’t attached to a squid or octopus.  they’re more like leeches.  they are attracted to light.  if they latch onto you, you’ll get sick and die. we sleep on a bed on the street with a curtain around it.  about 8 of us in one big bed.  my friend is there.  it’s all hitting him so hard.  he’s curled up naked, in a tight fetal position.  i hold him in the dark.  i whisper while everyone sleeps.  i love you i love you i love you.  i’m here. i love you.