''Monday, May 3, 2021.
8:27 A.M.
Facing southwest. ''
As you step outside you’re caught by the sight of the moon in the morning sky. The two of you - suspended there - regard one another. After a moment, you realize you’ve been thinking about your mother. It’s been five years since she died. The anniversary came and went this time. You were so busy you didn’t notice. How could that have happened? It’s like that time, before the pandemic, when you didn’t call your dad on his birthday. You were traveling for work and you forgot.
You still have his voicemail on your phone and can't resist playing it again. "Hey it’s your dad. Are you okay? Is everybody okay? What’s going on? You know you missed my birthday. Anyway, I hope you’re okay. Give me a call. Love you, bye."
You wish you’d saved your mother’s voicemails but you used to delete them after listening to them. Why didn't she just text you? Nobody leaves voicemails anymore. You try to picture her face but can't. It’s like looking at something in the dark - blurry when you look straight at it. Thankfully you have photos like the one from the Mother's Day just after you learned that she had cancer.
(Page 2 has an image of your phone displaying the photo of your mother.)
Suddenly you're conscious of the fact that you've been standing in the front yard for a while now.
* If you decide to hurry up and get in the car so you're not late for work, [[turn to page 3->Pages 3 & 4]].
* If you decide to go back inside and collect yourself, [[turn to page 5->Pages 5 & 6]].(replace: "↶")[👈]
(replace: "↷")[👉]“The virus is unlikely to go away..." NPR is running through the headlines while you drive. Fucking people, you think, just get vaccinated. Soon these thoughts and the road lead to work which hasn't been going well lately. With a sigh you get out of the car wondering if it's worth it.
The EndThe moment you step into the hallway you know something's different. Is there a sound? Wait, the light is different. Is there something in the living room?
Tentatively you call out, "Hello?"
Nothing. You take the few steps to the end of the hall slowly. There definitely is a weird light coming from the living room. At the end you poke your head around the corner and find an eight foot tall, glowing egg in the middle of your living room. WHAT THE FUCK?
"Hello!" you call out a little panicked.
"Hello!" a voice, which seems to come from everywhere, calls back. "Don't be alarmed. I am Cosmo, a... friend."