11:13 a.m. - 2005-09-01
Dying August
My baby's daddy and one of my wives' mother drove me to Granny's for her birthday. Skari and Skim were there, wearing what they wore to the wedding, and weeping. They dried their eyes when I came up the hill; they didn't want me to know that they were crying. My aunts were there, but Me and StepMe were missing, and Granny seemed better, but still talked as though she were weak. She told me about all the dogs and cats that lived on the back porch. That's where I found Dad; he was sitting on the hill, with tears in his eyes. I knew that Mom was leaving him, but he didn't know that, and he told me she was angry because the power had gone out and the boiler would leave skid marks on the kitchen linoleum. I tried to reason with him, but everyone was wearing black. Skim said it was because they'd come from church. Grandmama tried to help me find a bathing suit for the party, but I wore a dress. The club was crowded; I didn't want to be wearing that dress anymore. I was searching for him, but he wasn't there.

I am a changeling. My body is merely the vessel filled by random souls to do with as they will.

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