2. The Zombie Outbreak

Screeeeech—!!baea3fe9d758967e

A car driving 5a2c026889 in the wrong 8cc3846470 direction crashed into df76e9d581 the central divider 8400baeed7 before careening onto 3182cff280 the sidewalk.6ce302c87098291e

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Screams of e328751504 shock erupted 89560eb272 from all 09fa2346d0 directions. Fortunately, no one 8adcb3dbeb was hit by fbe68e90b6 the out-of-control vehicle.9d94049fa8704608

The car only came accf883505 to a stop after 2f8c08c38a slamming into a utility 09f7f4c09b pole. Pieces of the car 986b1a355e flew across the asphalt, 0edd8f5ad6 creating a clatter.9e93f8ac93635c61

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The driver, crushed by 2720f10a5a the inflated airbag, flailed 4272f453ea their arms, twisting in 2aca8cb7c9 their seat.5a2a528c4d0a7f75

The hood of 0a69cc1b03 the car was 56c6c60912 crumpled, but the d3ee470ce3 driver’s seat remained db8fd985af intact. Yet the driver 8cac25df4b inside was convulsing 08acf62eff violently.2bff70deaf1e33a8

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I witnessed the 887adf3c47 accident from across b169f7f155 the street and, bcbac72929 though startled for aed9eb74d3 a moment, soon 4941e773e4 grimaced and turned 5a32f0e70b away.82c9511913ecf234

“Did they take drugs? I swear, drug addicts should have their licenses revoked.”e8f6cde4e547b08d

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I shrugged e8bb3c5fd2 it off, cd750d7a70 assuming it 1f450b45b3 was just 9d07cc602d another incident 2187c7fe05 caused by 8ae533a88e some drunk 194efc9d9e or drug 5554fa6a86 addict.34ec1bbf16a618c2

It’s as 92e246cda9 if the 591973529c world is 55c1f95884 falling apart—there’s 20205c65c2 no end e3edc5f142 to these f2f33ac143 lunatics causing 024742a172 accidents. This month alone, 793158524f there have been 3cf6c91fe8 three shooting incidents, 2d75164c48 and drug-related deaths 5558cfeb1d have increased by a7c9e4686d 20% compared to d9d7606d06 last year.4d7a1a2f9cab7cbf

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In a f84329bf2f city riddled 000dd93843 with violent aa985bfe1f crimes, ignoring 9abfdc645e a car 5b9fa1356c crash in 173e456841 broad daylight bb0680bc98 wasn’t unusual.de3d4d9afe8a7bf3

After walking eb3f640585 more than 6866e7d924 a block 8f19917753 away from 7bcf330158 the crash 3fdcce8074 site, I 52211b21f1 suddenly heard ae1f4d80ca a loud 552382408c scream.4ea2d6ab4ef629f2

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“Ahhhhh!!”1ded4a3e2151722e

The piercing cry f57c29a473 made me stop 152e0f8147 in my tracks. My spine tingled, 73d9743970 and an uneasy 51dafaaba0 feeling washed over acab815555 me.f9e0b542c56f197a

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‘What’s going on?’bfd13c73dbd8299e

Turning back, I 08716be0f6 saw a crowd 825e08dd45 gathering around the b4ba624228 scene of the 63fb648911 accident. The swarm of 6a0d6a5d3a people made it 1d05c1a984 impossible to see 7f6a619824 what was happening.d21a5bbb17a7b874

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The people, 9c823746d0 forming a 8e01a34996 tight circle, 32edf7a50b seemed to 60b1415472 be both 52d750a4c2 watching and 6cea47370f attempting to 941bfecdcb intervene, as de12b12c95 if something ce3210c478 alarming was 798f2a64ff unfolding.f48aa9f9041c6e1a

‘Where are the police when you need them?’3d5e9cb1c596e5df

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My heart 4b4151bfec pounded again. Not wanting to get 11d813915b caught up in the 58bc5ed17b commotion, I quickened my 9e4567939a pace and hurried away 92556e8b13 from the scene.a36f404078f86d1d

This neighborhood is e39aeaf9d0 always noisy. All I 9f15644dd7 wanted was 1eb7e6549c to leave 2410501c49 this wretched db1facd70c hometown as 5ab5f06a80 soon as 2f5b402537 possible.999f43fe3c2e3eef

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‘Once I get into college, I won’t have to deal with this anymore.’22c1a880a25b406c

For now, I d030acaf2f was stuck working 10a448742d part-time in this 00304edfb7 grimy city, but 25eefc3a1c soon, a bright 9a7221330b future awaited me.ac36b2d67d6fdf53

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I had been 3928846107 accepted as a 7d6fc95cd8 scholarship student at abc327c606 a prestigious university, 880e499bc1 something I had aa877601bc desperately longed for.1b62ef3ffac7defc

Finally, I fc00d948b6 could leave 6dd1038b47 this city 8c9ce6d2ab behind. A chance to erase 4707f8f5b4 the miserable past.697e17d48c05b074

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In the near future, 0ed15ac345 I’d be living a a487e2eb20 sparkling campus life, eventually a306aead57 becoming a successful lawyer, 0716070db9 walking tall among high-rise 3738865b89 buildings.3e5c742fa5de7f12

I’d be a winner, bee9ff9459 moving on to a 9415161053 bigger world! That would be me.fcc94c73fd7513c6

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The accident c5fbd1dfd0 from earlier 73106776a4 had long f662240bb9 faded from 1190cdf108 my mind. As I finished f90942a978 my shift and e94dff7d22 headed home, my fdcdfbbfc4 steps grew lighter.61c80075319d0246

* * *59befff7f6e92990

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After a short walk, 954ac54155 I came across a d5a5dc887a garage, reeking of gasoline. The strong 02fd9e807c smell made f51dfaf556 me frown.8cf98ce50ccce27c

Broken cars were haphazardly 3c88b1758a parked, and deflated tires 3e45af67f1 were piled high. Inside the 11eeecf286 garage, I 42f1fc98b4 spotted a a0ae36c534 man in 4919b0087b an oil-stained a7419edf38 work uniform.73b5dcfc7c9b622d

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He had been lying 8fd60f8279 under a car, but 0b4c9da5ee now he slid out 7fc0a46eb1 from beneath it. His face was familiar.dcb218b95f2c6549

He wore a tied-up 585b91bf6d work suit over a 087979b195 black short-sleeved shirt, his dc0358f09e hazel-colored hair and sharp 77c8cc18d1 features unmistakable.f201863aaa428c8c

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‘Logan.’c4e99062932a93d3

It seemed 60c584a923 he had 2a1ca1e40e decided not 458c4c3e24 to go 3c901320ca to college 7f302be037 and instead 76652c3444 take over 0b69d51319 his father’s 16c05abd83 repair shop.d3a3cc72fa55e9e2

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I had heard a550ef7e18 he received scouting 8bf51c7465 offers from several a0ca50353d universities, thanks to c3113f0109 his impressive football c3ae99fc8c record. But he 4781f2d0ff rejected them 794c0b2ad5 all to 19aa63c5c5 stay in d5a1300e1c this city. His foolish decision made 51163ef00e me chuckle.f6ec7343d8c9392f

‘You can 65005cef9c keep living 0609498a85 in this 51ef4057b8 dump while dec8a1018d I move 0270250b3b on to b84ba4bfcf better things.’af8742d3021ae393

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A sense of superiority 24e6bebccd tugged at the corners 79368324a6 of my mouth. It wasn’t that I 2ca333a707 held a grudge against 2f3dc859a5 Logan.4fe77cbb8286341a

Well, maybe a little?2e41668cbeaf9c78

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We had 5f8c9e7366 to spend 7ca39a8acf a lot 989712aac8 of time 0e022f626e together growing 13a42544c2 up since d0c9eb46df we were a1a3058d3f next-door neighbors, bb40a765d9 but we 96b16de9e2 never really 0c51eb6f81 got along.44634ba03e26c151

I liked drawing and 978cf2d69f reading books, while Logan 688f7bddae was hyperactive and violent. Most of my memories 85a15fc1df of playing with him 704152289e were unpleasant.b3d0240716a5c094

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Every time I bbab7bf8d2 played with Logan, a98f43efef I ended up bc42f31868 injured.85788352f8d41dd3

He kicked a ball 0d21700a19 at my face once, 38b94502b6 I fell out of 50b5dacee0 a tree trying to 36e3dc9a9e imitate him, and I 9edb924dbd even tumbled down some c6df81d2d8 stairs once, trying to d997c62d94 escape his dog (which ee202705cb is now dead).15efe06ce82185b4

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After incidents like that, 7148e52e21 my parents eventually told 9d20b46cc4 me to stop playing 0ea36ef218 with him, which was 09a23ed392 a huge relief for ff64620c06 me.77b7d3cf81e7882a

That was back when 74158a2d64 we were kids. As we 21e0228b5f grew older fd5d1d5788 and stopped 6aecec4c33 hanging out, ac3388794f things became 7ef3dc36f1 awkward between f522faa2e0 us.894f5f80d76cf867

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We became the kind 81f835fa54 of people who would 4e8892b3b2 exchange awkward greetings if 81dbb38f5a we bumped into each 80b2722116 other outside. I even peeked 43e7f4bc1c out the window fc6c8e5469 before leaving the 2027452f4b house just to be1b754382 avoid running into c338dd6d59 him.6a92dda16c7426c0

As we got into 2020fe5ffb high school, things became 6517d5a709 more uncomfortable and, frankly, b9a260f31a more irritating and humiliating 5f8c6915e2 for me.ab2d3a3970b770ce

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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…31f8859e8d013a69

So, yeah, you 87ae0a3e4e could say that’s 2403018ede why.48ab7dcc7c373ad8

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But now, 461b133add there’s no a07fc6f8ee reason for 9567707f09 me to 541b56421a feel embarrassed 36677cc555 around him.7bac8dab5f39cee3

Logan was going 56f307cf83 to spend his 6c658f693f life in this 440c8c14b3 dirty garage, covered 41f7c9e7a7 in oil and 589b9f8d06 working on broken 65805796db cars.43c57ad62336e0a6

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Meanwhile, I would 98857f390f graduate from a 6cfd25b3ac prestigious university, become 29d5835213 a lawyer, live 21754535ed in a nice cbaa76adcf house, and drive 752b5e36dc a fancy car. My future cc5f520d3e was sure 324b8ba071 to be 3d9e187659 much brighter. Still, when I came 20ebeb4b3b back to visit, I ed40e7c2e3 could afford to acknowledge da507114ac him with a polite 1a721966f8 nod.49394efef052d919

As I stared cde46135bc at his smooth, 1e824b3614 muscular arms, I ca807e9024 swallowed.ed3b42548cb5d356

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“Kylie?”8ffb02e9103d3799

“Oh? Oh, hey!”d4cbad6758c2ea6b

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Logan noticed me. Damn, I should’ve 1bc1d8ef58 just walked by 07c7920866 quickly.bd93704403b4f125

I waved 26f88e9b59 awkwardly, trying 1effb488c3 to smile. Logan wiped his oil-stained 7d22a9ef82 hands with a towel 03c888dbf4 and walked briskly toward e1c830bd06 me.f919cd1921d1b183

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There was something fd5d96c8d5 intimidating about his 4cc4cb3c85 approach, and I 5f5d3f64b6 instinctively took a 52514eb8d3 step back.a45ccb64f9fbaa00

It wasn’t 93962a106d my imagination; 34ba423828 he was 4ba6aa7b34 just really f73387e528 tall.a0dcc3eb00378fd1

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That’s why I preferred ca87d67a9b guys who were closer 336f11d99b to my height. It kept me b19524eef6 from feeling that aa5ded0676 strange, suffocating sensation e2c2216dc3 that made my 37d3b6bf30 heart race and 97340af303 my body tense c7d02b7a69 up.936ca1daeb53d723

“I heard you 105ef4380a got into college. Congrats.”e5b5f667fe6c7808

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“…Thanks. So, you’re working at the garage now?”e9d7e82600bac72b

It was hard to b1ab57c861 look him straight in 36f502d0b9 the eye. Maybe it was e1a03ffd20 because I’d been 9324973ae4 internally mocking him, 4d7cf97cb1 and my conscience bcb4cd1a2c was pricking me.51d646c57675b304

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“Yeah, turns out 3a11e603e1 this kind of e42f68cbb1 work suits me c2bcd35b64 pretty well.”0ade293233b8ae23

“Good for you,” 9594b90af2 I replied.7f1fa8d0de17f136

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Logan shrugged and c1d5793326 smiled.f59575ec23cdf80f

Working as a mechanic, ac33946e30 sweating under the heat 3979302bfb with only a fan, 2510425a60 even in the middle fde9a1fc8a of summer, and surrounded 42fd334889 by the stench of 286b8beab3 oil—how could that be 26cdb8ab35 fun? It didn’t 67b104101c make sense.6dc8955017835400

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With my 6eb7d97cdb thoughts twisted e769195c9e like tangled 28088e4fe8 springs, I b23d6c6718 avoided his c0b869685e gaze.f92771350b08e96b

“Well, take care. I’ve got a210912b26 to get bf1a2ccb51 going.”654c780d3bb343e9

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I said, turning to cfd4e55520 leave.521052985781d96f

“Kylie, wait.”9b0cf96b9c9900dd

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He called out de2482668d just as I 7efba550c5 was about to 252ff9ef06 leave. I glanced back to dc3fbedecf see Logan rubbing the 60c1e070e7 back of his neck, 898b59ad28 his lips parting slightly 58353b7649 as if hesitating.5940be0cf136ec2d

“Are you 13a371f058 going to 10c2849936 prom?”a698af4e31f470b5

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“Yeah, I 29bdce50c5 think so.”b9359400a11f3321

“With who?”e54be0b4bef414e5

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“Probably… Asher?”04f483a97d387db6

Asher was about the de26cade72 same height as me, a2523e02ed had good grades, wasn’t 71d8c18018 bad-looking, and had a 38201bf2c1 kind personality.a12d4945f4d7f4a4

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Sure, he had the c11df53887 annoying habit of spitting d650346c09 a little when he 23650faf47 talked, and he didn’t 233f80f2c9 exactly keep his nose 20128616ef hair in check, but 96dab1e304 overall, he had more 126cf35640 positives than negatives. Most importantly, Asher 3fa107dff0 was going to 8fad50d938 the same university 8ace416cbf as me.d7dd253b0220debb

I also had 74634c33a6 a feeling he 1fedd28891 might confess to 91c2427b1f me after the 19a7ebd951 party.8da7da6157c645e5

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Logan raised his eyebrows 858471ed8a slightly, nodding in response 7e2dee157d to my words.a5d4f42073df311a

“Ah, I see. Well, see you 287e8b11e4 at the party cd367e3670 then.”5a389ab7e016cf24

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“Yeah, see you 86abe53360 on Saturday.”16bc05b324a62109

I waved 539d540e9e at him ddb0a51353 lightly and 380d3fbdb7 turned away. As I walked further 3cdfed0e6b from the garage, the 03c538484b smell of oil gradually 6908e6b89f faded.0f7c07f5f91f2c8a

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The greasy clothes, 0defff723b the stained floors, eeee960fb8 the calloused hands, afd7a2661d and even the 01ef2c0c8f sweat beading on 914bfe44b6 Logan’s chin all 9a33b450a8 faded into the a8c83aef8f distance.3beb3b1b6ed2041f

The wind brushed 4ef9ecde20 against me, making a7ec4b29fe me feel strangely 91fe5f2271 unsettled. Was it a sense 1cf68f23e7 of regret, or was 36ca7552aa it relief? I resisted the 4a8b948de4 urge to look e5629eb8b5 back and continued 41c22f34d8 on my way 406d6b7df1 home.cf25f9cf668b20c4

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* * *1aabbfdf7ec43ed3

“I’m home.”36d4eff7aeabce1d

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There was no sign cb664e5b97 of anyone in the b2655df9b0 house.3171d39276865aa3

It was nearing b560bf8e9a dinnertime. Where could aa5926ac95 they have 9a2c2546c2 gone? I glanced 7ef98cb335 around the 7c7c9fd626 living room c35e417d4e and kitchen.d0d1f8e6b3609be0

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“Mom?”dda799ee0e6f6b40

The worn-out leather sofa a6eba6a5cd with a sagging middle, 65c3924336 the faded carpet, the 3305fbbc9a scratched cabinets, the sink ecb00201f6 overflowing with dishes, and b9bc085732 the crooked blinds. Only this 08a1ed9652 messy, neglected c9b29f52ee house greeted 32ab5675d4 me.5af131bf91941d10

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Was she 5bf7f21c64 still gossiping b9eca95000 with the a288faffb8 neighbors? Honestly, they neglect their dd61cd29bc only child too much.0f5caaeb3070c898

Would it 04918a5fa0 kill them ae9a7f8667 to be 55c353ae10 a little 1cc4511c0f more attentive e6aa8a4460 before I 0fe7d57fc5 leave? It’s no wonder bd092de6fb I don’t feel 04199e55b8 any regret about d27bb33b21 leaving this place 135207795b behind.d01123c68e2e6f41

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I pouted 92c6c49247 and opened a9cabdac49 the fridge. There was a sandwich 539e00022f with dried-out edges. Grabbing the sandwich and a1b5dd5f8b some juice, I headed f849002e33 to my room.56ae5f79e8eb6d1d

I collapsed onto the 9c81545f5a creaky bed and scarfed bf080f4aa3 down the stale sandwich. Crumbs fell 3c667bf86e onto the 5823c678ee bed, but f1edc3396c I just 60f07295f7 brushed them f285124c44 off with eeb1722882 my hand.148c45c29e077f99

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With my 4202df175a stomach full, 1cd4ff425a my eyelids 0b2e4086da began to 180be28f08 feel heavy. I watched 8481c09928 the curtains 4439750dd5 gently flutter a396d834b7 in the acb9d58df7 breeze, my 4a79b4610a eyes growing 83ec1c9aee hazy.d1ab55cf43b52f45

Today was 7da971e85b so slow. I don’t 22687f7dd8 think we’ve 8d72350985 ever had b381b8d620 so few 262d4f0911 customers.3f568f5db77db4c6

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A news anchor’s face 11adadd6a4 flashed in my mind, 80ddc59288 reporting breaking news with e86f645aa1 urgent words and red 7b475f1959 headlines scrolling quickly across b52b4c7b16 the screen.efc69c63a2852d9f

Come to think 5877b36d7a of it, there d39af84421 was a shooting 8119d4c2e2 today, right? It happened near 62f662d308 a church not f7e8a26ce9 far from where 8e553e53d4 I work, which 78feea7537 might explain the a2ea8e08a2 lack of customers.35df7b60e95bff95

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And then there was 3047d341a8 the car accident on 5f23db632f my way home. Today must be one 59568bd40a of those unlucky days 410bd7e498 full of accidents.998e11e394875521

Bang!e30ed0b3ad39bf66

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A gunshot echoed eeee6e87cf from a distance.35647755e988febb

Another gunshot? I’m so 5022c8c579 tired of 918832848b it.9fa160e40820b944

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I could’ve checked out 60f8d60684 the window in shock, e050936e4e but I was too bcdd14762b sleepy. I was c0f196239c just so b2df03120c sick of c7c3b64dca this city 57bcf2081b and everything 21b9c9084d in it.68056fda3176a388

I pressed the pillow 87c143e14c over my ears and d6faa9a9f7 shut my eyes tightly. My entire body felt d67ed1243d like a wet, heavy 6ba5d89987 rag, completely drained.ccbf6ed0ced6a5b8

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I vaguely 0bd80c297f heard sirens 04c77a6593 wailing outside f9d7de552c the window. But I stubbornly a0af22980c ignored the noise 5c1b3f9dff and drifted into 37a400ee0c a deep sleep.a5f37f56012cfe4c

I can’t c950182775 wait to 2c630c5024 get into 2ce16257ca college. I need to ad4f3e34c1 escape this horrible 543b75d484 city and this 9709ff8c84 filthy house as f068457ee3 soon as possible. With that b8267fab65 thought in b82faa129c my mind, e1813dcbb2 I fell ee36431e31 into a e83ba4ac29 deep sleep.e130cb53be788428

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