Brienne

I was mugged!

I drove to an Aldi for groceries. It was night time. I saw an ad for cigarettes on the side of a bus. I'd heard somewhere all tobacco used to be called "Inuit" brand. The Inuit used to be the main tobacco growers before the big corporations took over. Someone said the Inuit ad campaign had pairs of fire flies flitting in circles near stores at night. Suddenly it was true.


I was in a bad part of town because that's where the cheapest groceries live. I don't know why but I decided to cross the parking lot. It was very dark. I think the street lights were out on that side. So I could see the fireflies clearly. I believe that may have been why I walked that direction in the first place. There was a playground nearby and a working street light beside it. I was getting scared so I headed toward it.

Out of the shadows stepped a figure. I couldn't make him out yet. I was afraid but I smiled, waved, and said hello. I was scolding myself for my stupidity. Phillip told me this part of town isn't safe. I could get killed.

I got closer, and so did he. He was white with a tall black mohawk. And he was holding a gun. Aimed at my head.

"Hi," I said. "Nice hair."
He smiled. Thanks. You too."
"You can have my wallet. Just stop pointing that gun at my head." He didn't. He motioned for me to come with him. I was terrified but not showing it much. I kept being friendly and he seemed taken aback.

We went to some shop close by. He put the gun away. I think he had my money at this point. It was daytime. It turned out he wanted my money for a donation. People had been killed at his old middle school, including a close friend of his. There was a memorial ceremony happening. He seemed upset or perhaps uncomfortable with the social situation so I took over. There was a form to fill out. He asked if a candle could be donated in his friend's honor. The woman taking the donations thought for a moment and said that he could fill out a Mother's day ceremony candle donation form. So I did that. I think I hugged him or otherwise gave my condolences and then we parted.

It was night again driving home, which was Mom's house. I was so *sleepy* going up the hill that I could no longer see the road before me. Sight is an effort for me in dreams. I was straining but I just couldn't do it. So I decided to let someone else drive. Now this part's very odd because I was alone. I did let someone else take the whleel, but the someone was *me*. I'm not sure how to describe it. It's like I let the me who had been driving go to sleep and woke up a me who had been sleeping. It was a sudden change and immediately I could see more easily. I was still sleepy and it was still difficult, but I was no longer blind.

When I got home I told Mom I'd been mugged. I asked her not to tell Phillip because he'd be made that I went to a bad part of town alone.