CHAPTER ONE: MAD AS RABBITS

"So do you think you can do it?" Saii asks.

"I'll try. I'm gonna need a ride."

"Yes! Thank you!" Saii boards her bus and in less than an hour (with lots of persuading) I'm in the car driving 4 miles out of town to her house.

Saii's house has become more of a home than my apartment. I don't knock because Saii's already grabbing the guitar case out of my grasp and opening it right where we stand in the driveway. She starts playing 'My Sharona' as best she can.

"Come on." She says suddenly. I guess I spaced out again. I've been doing that a lot lately. Next thing I know we're on the back porch looking across the wide open space of multi-colored fields. Until you find the purple mountains on the horizon.

Saii reaches into her shirt and pulls out a rolled cigarette and the mini blue lighter from my guitar case.

"So," I start, but can't find anything to say. Today feels stranger than usual. It must be that dream.

"You have the dream again?" Saii says next to me, trying to find what was catching my attention in the landscape.

"You're doing it again."

"What?"

"Reading my mind."

"I can read your mind? Wait," She sticks the cigarette in her mouth and puts two fingertips on her temples "You're thinking about tacos aren't you?" I laugh because the cigarette bounces in her mouth, flicking the burnt ash all over our shoes.

"No. I was thinking about burritos."

"Lana, you and I could do things ya know."

"You have the strangest pep talks in the known universe."

"Why thank you." The front door on the other side of the house opens and Coca (or Toco, he responds to both), Saii's Chihuahua comes running across the yard toward the wheat field in front of us. Saii quickly puts out the cigarette before someone sees. No one comes but Toco is now in the large dirt area next door. Saii climbs on top of the railing says "Goodbye cruel world!" and jumps 15 feet down to the ground. "Come on Lana! It's fun!" she yells before taking off to get Toco.

I have a huge fear of heights. Especially in situations like these.

I climb up shaking. I look up to see that Saii is already at the edge of the field. "Alright, you can do this." I say to myself. Then, of course, I just happen to look down. "Come on. Don't chicken out." I close my eyes and step off. I see a flash of colors from my dream and I land straight on my back.

Once I restore my breath, I catch up to Saii.

"Hey!" I yell.

"I got him." Saii turns around holding that little demon she calls a dog. "Shall we?" she asks. We walk back to the house in silence. I draw my attention to retracing my steps in the dirt. 30 steps later, the trails separate.

I start mindlessly singing "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold."

I start the 3rd round when the ground comes out from under me.