2. The Zombie Outbreak

Screeeeech—!!24ac1ba56ed3ca29

A car driving in 519d64c3c7 the wrong direction crashed 52c32cc5c0 into the central divider d0ad4e3506 before careening onto the 4478230ed1 sidewalk.b01d00c130aa731b

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Screams of shock 3d175a3100 erupted from all d868945769 directions. Fortunately, no 39d8ad3021 one was b35e60c64b hit by e06ea0ff9f the out-of-control ce1aa88ae6 vehicle.946ed87519ddb70e

The car 7fe88bb260 only came 70be9ed19a to a 8b67e662df stop after cf35ee49c3 slamming into 09e0270b98 a utility 06d846efc0 pole. Pieces of the car 75a230c13b flew across the asphalt, 774477ecb1 creating a clatter.877a7bc62bacb02f

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The driver, crushed f4bcc142e2 by the inflated a5bfdb6d38 airbag, flailed their 632b8d0559 arms, twisting in 8775d68dd9 their seat.51dd93624780a6c0

The hood of the f71a4580ae car was crumpled, but 8113873abc the driver’s seat remained 6d65ba024b intact. Yet the driver inside 1d70e2cfb8 was convulsing violently.971995692a08a37e

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I witnessed the 207546eb0a accident from across cbee7c624f the street and, 7652505292 though startled for e28d4cc3a9 a moment, soon 2f7bff2c2c grimaced and turned 60f97b3fd9 away.d72fe2f9078098ed

“Did they take drugs? I swear, drug addicts should have their licenses revoked.”f7ed64eb5474d493

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I shrugged it off, a333cbe36a assuming it was just 6eef8d0700 another incident caused by 2d939ba61e some drunk or drug 4a0aae45df addict.3a3afbaff6ed79bb

It’s as if 7121a35cce the world is 4277a48258 falling apart—there’s no 8dcf23d150 end to these d4d3728d47 lunatics causing accidents. This month f62ce1264e alone, there 7cbdabc212 have been 022da44051 three shooting 3e57c5322b incidents, and c19fd2c8cd drug-related deaths 1af09e0dd6 have increased fc22ca4889 by 20% 842994f1ab compared to b89fc599e7 last year.cc9938107d5c7a49

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In a city riddled b34cb0156b with violent crimes, ignoring caa1765315 a car crash in 6d1eb6ff14 broad daylight wasn’t unusual.78ea868877c14cfd

After walking 99fb063c13 more than d50e5d8bd8 a block cef4e69af5 away from 915f026453 the crash 7b10db619a site, I 5625ca3d13 suddenly heard 91ce2c7d46 a loud 69cd07c160 scream.c378f9ba2e2e70ae

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“Ahhhhh!!”6fb3f2479938d70e

The piercing cry 2968ae2ac2 made me stop 8a351d2f3f in my tracks. My spine tingled, and a7fbb55bf6 an uneasy feeling washed c3fbd41690 over me.9ff54e0bfecb43cb

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‘What’s going on?’a83b3fd73f32a347

Turning back, I saw cb2db13bb3 a crowd gathering around 4e3a544c4a the scene of the 8861093e38 accident. The swarm be0eb433a4 of people 6e8277caff made it c8c426afc6 impossible to d473967daa see what 61b8467b05 was happening.fbd530b95e53dd31

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The people, forming 38f2584e01 a tight circle, 09869ff2ad seemed to be 13d0c24c71 both watching and 59c03a943b attempting to intervene, 5e37390569 as if something ed085c6278 alarming was unfolding.bebae2683d1c17b9

‘Where are the police when you need them?’1f8b517d58e496c9

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My heart pounded again. Not wanting to e77bf80dc4 get caught up 0fe5891859 in the commotion, 62a6f1ef10 I quickened my 827576a2a2 pace and hurried e10eafbdce away from the cfcfa3f7f8 scene.76b8dbcccf53fc65

This neighborhood b6b699de94 is always b308a3b300 noisy. All I wanted 756ed37fa8 was to leave 9b3d27d87e this wretched hometown 8ab219eaef as soon as 036ef4030e possible.b5c3b35d5a294013

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‘Once I get into college, I won’t have to deal with this anymore.’5aac22b64d0bb764

For now, 96842633c1 I was 05b0bd56ab stuck working dc51f07dc3 part-time in 782d95bf77 this grimy 6442f917ae city, but 74843367db soon, a 91bd4a2e3d bright future 0a60a4f9ae awaited me.2a5bf3f30feb89d6

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I had been accepted 5cebcf4df5 as a scholarship student 10cd81a1bf at a prestigious university, 83d3b39546 something I had desperately c0caf6dd4d longed for.3a0e4e10d2d99270

Finally, I db4e1bc488 could leave 5418e36cfd this city f9bbd66d91 behind. A chance to erase 6a80a5fa0f the miserable past.172d5aa9fd530185

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In the near b61326a887 future, I’d be 37f569eb28 living a sparkling 9bc9baadd6 campus life, eventually 6808c49b04 becoming a successful 2740076d3b lawyer, walking tall 9199ce1d7a among high-rise buildings.52bf2cc8ed1eb7c7

I’d be 39e5dc955a a winner, 2b6804e715 moving on d36aaae577 to a d8452bdc84 bigger world! That would be me.6d0609eebbe9b6e7

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The accident from ccafa008d8 earlier had long e5cd364108 faded from my 77f5054971 mind. As I finished my 7728f46064 shift and headed home, 2b5a6f3cb4 my steps grew lighter.3667cdd98ea09c71

* * *45d2004c61417db5

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After a 0974d6cce6 short walk, 5d04f143cf I came 10d859a5ca across a e668427e71 garage, reeking 22c933234e of gasoline. The strong smell d9fea6d30d made me frown.776e23fa69403352

Broken cars were haphazardly 764d743bae parked, and deflated tires d5b8ea289f were piled high. Inside the garage, db4e0ed222 I spotted a b7c3c1b08c man in an 453806df0d oil-stained work uniform.b4fde101f815d9c3

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He had been lying c89c74e319 under a car, but 7cc4aa264f now he slid out f07ddeeb10 from beneath it. His face was familiar.1ef3d555408a972e

He wore 331db6d903 a tied-up fdacd6c27f work suit d9ba88268a over a 52436b017b black short-sleeved a701d2a691 shirt, his cd2fe2c897 hazel-colored hair d4666c4743 and sharp fd3048298a features unmistakable.2705fbb304c71f4f

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‘Logan.’6b49ec2099d516b6

It seemed 64b742029c he had 1d765107c2 decided not 7871e1c799 to go bc930b2121 to college 30e82ee6cb and instead b4c4fb5503 take over 67ec4b8b44 his father’s 9558a5f969 repair shop.1ac07e050337d4b9

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I had heard 27166750da he received scouting 5e3dc179e7 offers from several d966d0df01 universities, thanks to 08e1ce8016 his impressive football e83ab46951 record. But he rejected them 06223c23b4 all to stay in d73207350f this city. His foolish cd09e06c32 decision made 0b40173d49 me chuckle.d21e8613c720f9e7

‘You can keep living 0e33b60c25 in this dump while 14237591b9 I move on to cb8fb2024a better things.’acf749f4aa53a1a6

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A sense of dc34db5d79 superiority tugged at f7d8b7b984 the corners of 42a333222d my mouth. It wasn’t that e5fe2c3ff1 I held a 5920f9661f grudge against Logan.9097378d4e9f6b6f

Well, maybe dcbd3b3120 a little?64ee12de7dc2bb25

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We had to 1f089e9251 spend a lot fb0eef56c1 of time together fd2c4c82aa growing up since 495906cf67 we were next-door 93e5b07327 neighbors, but we d481a86e65 never really got 8897129321 along.11235ac8146608f6

I liked b2ab311ade drawing and f7f6bd83b4 reading books, e0195ad919 while Logan f904ec1096 was hyperactive da539c44da and violent. Most of e290bf88d6 my memories d62a6ac05e of playing ceb8a5f331 with him cb061bfb87 were unpleasant.39da97ea5bf24ce6

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Every time I c039139cc4 played with Logan, 5b9f3c61b1 I ended up 0e091b4f4f injured.cd9d3bc9b0e72c65

He kicked a 7200a3e549 ball at my de559e742d face once, I 555869889f fell out of b6e9055587 a tree trying 1399330d7a to imitate him, 55d769c011 and I even 475856b70d tumbled down some 9a75506e66 stairs once, trying db755d4ad1 to escape his 39123031d6 dog (which is b374ec4aaf now dead).d810f1967d5348c3

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After incidents like that, 22e6a34108 my parents eventually told 472d5220dd me to stop playing 9c97f98944 with him, which was 7bebae7e63 a huge relief for bdf5b76919 me.e1b1b6c5171c1f4d

That was da2ab04abf back when 4f1ba8d7f5 we were f4f962530d kids. As we 755b561157 grew older befd6a7047 and stopped 2df2c423c7 hanging out, 671b9a16f5 things became 0983718ed3 awkward between 06a0a33349 us.ef45f8f1a30ac56c

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We became the kind 1bb578edc4 of people who would de1cb10eee exchange awkward greetings if 9cc6be9fb5 we bumped into each e8975bfd06 other outside. I even peeked out 585cbfcec8 the window before leaving 519a2af4df the house just to 802dc21c48 avoid running into him.36db5c4e2da6c802

As we b8d97822fb got into 154a55a537 high school, d51eefc259 things became 7f0e4454cb more uncomfortable 372d71b91c and, frankly, 24719f88b5 more irritating 1d089cc688 and humiliating b6b249ef10 for me.12c8a836cae68150

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Logan was quite popular. I was smarter, and I got better grades, but he was the one everyone liked. He was good at sports, outgoing, tall, good-looking, and even had a pretty blonde girlfriend…d73bbf6ef8afc14d

So, yeah, you 3243023c7e could say that’s 73887cd6b5 why.cc2184f70c372d6b

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But now, 3641723ad5 there’s no 5bd8fb86ed reason for 035cc84a18 me to 417b72c38c feel embarrassed 6bc2900d58 around him.f09058c08508aaf1

Logan was going to 13538232df spend his life in 6fcadba651 this dirty garage, covered a2582440ba in oil and working 376a75cefc on broken cars.a2c086c4e73b1a49

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Meanwhile, I would graduate ee6d08860e from a prestigious university, 8897135a31 become a lawyer, live 359aaa1178 in a nice house, 9d9e3728a7 and drive a fancy db58e32b9b car. My future was 41ac2ceacc sure to be c23a474ec8 much brighter. Still, when I came 53e0f81f45 back to visit, I 7c86a52d7b could afford to acknowledge 389530a205 him with a polite ea3d42a225 nod.c2595a23da38dfac

As I 1714700437 stared at a852706706 his smooth, b48368d1b1 muscular arms, 089a6931c8 I swallowed.17d8abbdc0f13884

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“Kylie?”f0d35836acd7ac6b

“Oh? Oh, hey!”76c3bf55b5688767

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Logan noticed me. Damn, I a04a4cc168 should’ve just 1f2afb249f walked by 3af139aee2 quickly.896776453d350956

I waved 9dfad572ab awkwardly, trying 9a638c9635 to smile. Logan wiped his dbb17fb86c oil-stained hands with ff0d21915a a towel and a54e8b547e walked briskly toward 76e4b82e57 me.72c2ba943fd01a97

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There was something intimidating 965125981a about his approach, and f1a56ea720 I instinctively took a 26f6ac9018 step back.0fbe95f234324719

It wasn’t my imagination; b3b30e7a28 he was just really 93833c6da6 tall.e472abb5d957eb9a

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That’s why 8ea1b23260 I preferred 9ec980fcf1 guys who 901ed8ec50 were closer a1797165d4 to my adb377783b height. It kept me from cd019d73fb feeling that strange, suffocating 2ee191c3c3 sensation that made my 130e447496 heart race and my 2239c1c6c3 body tense up.1a5844c61bcd8da9

“I heard you got e72dd31855 into college. Congrats.”87025775b7124c0e

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“…Thanks. So, you’re working at the garage now?”e14bcb7672c938e9

It was ed217829a8 hard to cca00dc887 look him 9887f54c57 straight in 6a74021783 the eye. Maybe it was 999e129e93 because I’d been c3eac1a5da internally mocking him, 09a003e054 and my conscience 294b9e8d59 was pricking me.0076d4877cea927f

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“Yeah, turns out 2731790c6f this kind of b552505aef work suits me 066c0d9465 pretty well.”e689c2217ec1733a

“Good for d5e94e1de4 you,” I c6107de99f replied.7ff8570f75a4ceed

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Logan shrugged 958a90258d and smiled.ebed7deaef7b21e9

Working as a mechanic, c6e9dcc3a5 sweating under the heat ff30c01511 with only a fan, 6a9084e674 even in the middle 2d5007f5e5 of summer, and surrounded 47487affe5 by the stench of 6cdfdd1f9b oil—how could that be ffc38639b5 fun? It didn’t a4d4052363 make sense.8f0db36f145d6ffc

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With my thoughts 37c2d6e0a2 twisted like tangled e9ecc9f3e2 springs, I avoided c2c1d92a5b his gaze.4f002d7aa586fc39

“Well, take care. I’ve got to 1f296ed795 get going.”a40d6ff86fa0faa7

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I said, turning 4edd6d3a8c to leave.113bbb958e74fbb0

“Kylie, wait.”f0947aa4683b6857

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He called out 748d488349 just as I 7e1b01faab was about to 9ca3db1ce0 leave. I glanced back f34f671da1 to see Logan a535df488d rubbing the back ee3c27c376 of his neck, 3339b3348e his lips parting 202364f43b slightly as if c6ec948c48 hesitating.dbe98196fcb56221

“Are you going 86f22478a4 to prom?”3a2d4fcbeefb899c

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“Yeah, I 4fd029fee2 think so.”cdd1743cc1523153

“With who?”c04386cfb6bd33cd

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“Probably… Asher?”685075d4b28d9d77

Asher was about the e1c0a74406 same height as me, 8b0d4f058f had good grades, wasn’t 578a4bb539 bad-looking, and had a 6aa7e14027 kind personality.ec34a57f3cad094c

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Sure, he had 6d30176793 the annoying habit f49e5b5b0f of spitting a 693884db2c little when he b34f511b95 talked, and he 457433fdaf didn’t exactly keep 9d2d3e4a84 his nose hair ebb5440daf in check, but 20d9b0a02d overall, he had 150c5d0d6d more positives than 9e419c5065 negatives. Most importantly, Asher was 94988dbaac going to the same cec58a9232 university as me.3666c3a8e1fd4b5f

I also 1a07b6ccd7 had a e77b631843 feeling he 02d9397d02 might confess 7ae222863e to me ca45b30ad9 after the 6f6b082fe1 party.7c0e6e25ec936de0

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Logan raised 8f8e2bcff5 his eyebrows 019a0ba0df slightly, nodding bf8f686740 in response 723a8b5a33 to my fdff3c5321 words.f1557be8510268ad

“Ah, I see. Well, see you at d032ff39f5 the party then.”f400ca828b004a55

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“Yeah, see you on 0d4b22b1fe Saturday.”2b57339845906b2e

I waved beb89dec38 at him 77210850f5 lightly and 345626cf11 turned away. As I 8fde37bd86 walked further d7ab0b873a from the fa940bbcaf garage, the 70710d32a2 smell of 4f8cd196a0 oil gradually f9c9359183 faded.5a536ec9104fc521

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The greasy clothes, 0c2181e0d4 the stained floors, 76fc14332d the calloused hands, a5792d3566 and even the 1e204edcb6 sweat beading on 1bf418363f Logan’s chin all 165ff964eb faded into the caee7c81db distance.5b6aed520c2f8dd2

The wind brushed d83d2f75dc against me, making 7412003448 me feel strangely d36f979eb3 unsettled. Was it a sense b4e8f34cec of regret, or was f861fc65a2 it relief? I resisted the 0f0385e326 urge to look 7371a6ba95 back and continued bf6a0a96ae on my way 82b60ff09a home.40fcf5424096f0c4

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* * *b071b54f5072afb5

“I’m home.”cafc2f1e359537dc

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There was no sign a4dc3f5ebd of anyone in the a5dcda980f house.63af23fed91a54ca

It was nearing 14e6e9a140 dinnertime. Where could they have 0fa2617efb gone? I glanced around d8fca7d20d the living room 1c8d82d8b8 and kitchen.6345c0d06e17fc76

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“Mom?”8d854d41498f0c8f

The worn-out leather 0fc44333ea sofa with a be29f6853e sagging middle, the 14d07327c4 faded carpet, the bbc17a6f05 scratched cabinets, the efe5afa5c7 sink overflowing with f52b8e04f1 dishes, and the 0474486019 crooked blinds. Only this messy, neglected 136a3b391f house greeted me.1f8f7cd8ca36e2e2

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Was she 88080ca659 still gossiping ebab5a951d with the aa36be9a0b neighbors? Honestly, they neglect ec7498d5d7 their only child 71d2b5c9e7 too much.3c578021247ab315

Would it kill them 17a4af3531 to be a little b250594daa more attentive before I 2cf3cd14af leave? It’s no wonder I 4d4edd8b4e don’t feel any regret 0b60cbf9c2 about leaving this place 1c386f3025 behind.3264e7d1861f9fc8

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I pouted and ea974248e9 opened the fridge. There was 87e8279a76 a sandwich 1d09ada8a3 with dried-out 68d3ff18c3 edges. Grabbing the sandwich and 7644857da5 some juice, I headed 91f612ede5 to my room.884c007269c89d58

I collapsed 7dd6415f6e onto the 94eef9f7bd creaky bed 22794d14a6 and scarfed a22e8fd75c down the 0c1491f34e stale sandwich. Crumbs fell onto the 49db299a50 bed, but I just 0370e180e6 brushed them off with 31c2e4cc1d my hand.a6b43b54960c8790

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With my stomach f0d61e30a5 full, my eyelids 1892db20a6 began to feel 8649b218ab heavy. I watched the a1f928ace2 curtains gently flutter 689b30304c in the breeze, 865e8eca42 my eyes growing 8207b1023c hazy.cd858fa305921fdd

Today was bb354a9512 so slow. I don’t 2108afb8e4 think we’ve aa04a4aea4 ever had 3b2a9735a6 so few 3301871952 customers.4ea2cc43db94797c

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A news anchor’s face 2ee0cd9b69 flashed in my mind, 08186f5d98 reporting breaking news with 0bd437f5cf urgent words and red b709f2cc24 headlines scrolling quickly across 39d5810ee7 the screen.03f002f00e84f3ff

Come to think 59869b6fcb of it, there 8891d58b90 was a shooting 5b3042f5bd today, right? It happened fdd5b420f8 near a 8ce84babba church not cbc639a241 far from 0a4e110562 where I 35c01f1813 work, which 462b6c0099 might explain 7a42f195ae the lack cd73a56b29 of customers.ee295a0477dc8772

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And then there was 9f0f086428 the car accident on 537969d267 my way home. Today must be one 35a5428fe7 of those unlucky days e76bc099ac full of accidents.f7a9f756993ebd18

Bang!e9cd14593a2229f6

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A gunshot echoed f51f80c633 from a distance.49e5f820936b7c89

Another gunshot? I’m so tired b3f593ffd1 of it.db21e22c2f25761b

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I could’ve checked out e2c3ae5616 the window in shock, 728d6f5fb9 but I was too da60103236 sleepy. I was just 16abf4a38a so sick of fcba5a95b0 this city and c662eedc05 everything in it.31e2283bff9ea6d2

I pressed 38ffbdacfe the pillow 8d881bbf7f over my 42f26f786a ears and 842601b0ac shut my 08f9714cf0 eyes tightly. My entire body felt f2c76da2d6 like a wet, heavy bd773cc3d8 rag, completely drained.a53c276c4847cb84

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I vaguely heard sirens 9653fc4b0e wailing outside the window. But I stubbornly ignored b8ecd383b4 the noise and drifted 4367997e02 into a deep sleep.d144883216546a6b

I can’t caaf7ddb48 wait to c987585173 get into 32a8f2efab college. I need to ba59269181 escape this horrible d526c51fd6 city and this 64d8cb454d filthy house as ab79f13cfb soon as possible. With that thought in 5dea032083 my mind, I fell d84e3007ab into a deep sleep.b1fcfd742c88a8cc

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