Chapter 3

Dawn was ambivalent. She knew she would enjoy talking with people again, but she would also hate it. She could already see the patterns of speech setting in, the trite phrases, and pop culture references. Yet, perhaps she could breathe new inspiration out of this, use it as a new base for thought in what was growing stagnant fast. Perhaps it would not be a mere convention of digestion and boredom. She knew she was being hopeful but she was looking forward to getting back together with the old gang. Dusk, Sable, Tim, the bunch of them.

"Life is a game"

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"I can't believe you really feel that way, look into your heart and tell me what you find there."

"Apathy."

"Yet everyone, deep-down feels happiness and love."

"I don't."

"Yes you do."

"Yet everyone, deep-down doesn't feel a thing. What do you feel Mr. Apologist? Nothing? I speak in rhetoric of course."

It didn't take her long to ready herself, she kept herself in average shape and such was acceptable. She was out the door and at the restaurant in no time. She came early, like she always did, and got her usual table. This was the one restaurant she ever went out to anymore, good old El Adobe. The Mexican restaurant that makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches in the world, it was always interesting to tell people that and see their reactions all the same, both in their initial disbelief and if they ever ventured to god's cookery, knowledge of her statement's veracity.

The waiter, Suzie, set up the table. Four glasses of water and a bowl of chips accompanied by a candle and a bottle of hot sauce Dawn was pretty sure no one ever used. It was Saturday so she looked around for the regulars, she could see the middle-aged woman and the little old man, it was always a comfort to see that people still appreciated good food.

It was at this thought that her gaggle, as some might put it, of friends went past the counter and into her vision. If they were to have obituaries and if she would happen to be their obituarer, as few would make up a word, then she would have a field day. From left to right there was Dusk, Sable, Tim, and Iris. Respectively speaking their other names weren't that important. All of them were about the same age, they were old friends in their twenties. Dusk was a well proportioned man, if slightly bulky. He had blazing red hair that stood out in an otherwise unexceptional body. Sable was lanky, in that respect the opposite of Dusk. He had yellow eyes similar to Dawn's and he always wore a white suit of some kind, sorta like Dawn and how she always wore red shirts. He also wore white slacks by the way, and a white hat, he liked white, always said it beat all the other colors because it was all the colors, and that the wise men were really fools in disguise that knew nothing about the visible light spectrum. He was albino by the way. Tim was a thespian at heart, he always kept a mask on, not that he was ugly, he just was vain, or perhaps it was another reason, didn't really matter. He wore a robe, black, his whole body was covered in fact, because he also wore a hair-covering hat, or helmet if one might wish to call it such. He always drew the most attention but she didn't mind it. Iris was another story though, she was a priest and dressed the part, a Christian Anglo priest at that. Dawn never really knew what went through her mind, the others she could guess pretty accurately, but Iris was a mystery. One minute she was devout, and the next she was laughing along with Nusquamism.

All in all it was a gaggle that sounded out in motley at times. And in unity at others, yet all the while it was surreal, and Dawn liked it that way. The gaggle descended the slight incline that led to her table and sat down; Dawn could catch the whispers of their conversation as they approached, something about Mobious strips and their plausibility.

They seemed to ignore her presence for a bit before Dusk asked her a question.

"Sorry could you repeat that?"

"I asked you Dawn, why you withdrew from reality?"

"If you're serious, why not?"

"Well that certainly answers my question."

"Sarcasm doesn't befit you Dusk."

Dusk turned to the other guys/girl and shrugged his soldiers. "What is this, Ms. Calque's class, remember the rule against sarcasm, and then we discovered the board said it was tip, good times, eh?"

There was a chorus of mild laughter from the guys/girl. Dawn stared at Dusk for a while before responding. "You didn't answer my question, why would I need reality when I have my imagination and unreality?"

Iris' face turned serious from its previously mirthful appearance. "Then why did you accept our invitation?"

"I don't know, because it was fated? Because I wanted to confirm once and for all that we live in a worthless world." Dawn stood up, and pushed her chair out of the way, "We are nothing, we know nothing, we are vicious monsters in nature, and nature is everywhere!" She paused for a second, out of breath, and then turned, walking out of the room a bit noisily.

The table, and for that matter the room were both very quiet. Then Tim stood up and went after her in a slow but purposeful manner that seemed to fit his regal attire. Dusk, Sable, and Iris exchanged looks, followed by a chuckle from Sable.

"Nothing is perfect, or so they say."

Tim paused for a minute and opened the door. He was greeted with a crying Dawn. He paused for a minute to listen to the sounds of her crying before he put her arm on her shoulder. She looked up at him and there was a smile on her tearful face.

"You know, I feel quite mad and I feel like singing. Heheha." Her laughter had always sounded like her crying, but Tim could still tell the difference between the two.

He looked up at the cloudy sky that cast a shadow over the world and things inclusive, and he began singing.

"Raindrops keep falling on my head, and just like the clown who's feet are too big for his bed, nothing seems to fit-"

"Those, raindrops keep falling on my head." Dawn joined in, slowly at first, and slowly continuing until she stopped again."

"If you ever want to do some talking to the sun you know where I'm at."

Tim headed for his car and the rest of the gaggle exited the brick house restaurant, glancing at her and then Tim before joining him. Dawn brushed away her tears and straightened out her jacket. She got up and followed suit, after all it seemed a good idea to return home and recuperate.

She still felt it though, creeping, crawling through her mind. It was there and it didn't seem like it wanted to leave, perhaps it would be quiet though, perhaps, not.

"The reason why, my dear friends, is that loneliness is a social monster."