Deviation Actions
Literature Text
Dad may have been called an anarchist, but he didn’t act like one. It’s not to say that there was a way that all anarchists were supposed to act, but he didn’t act like he wanted to remove government… he wanted to be in government. He wanted to be THE government; he wanted to inspire some sort of change.
When he left, he said that he would come back as “a man the world would admire, fear, and hold as an ideal”. That was 7 years ago, and if he still planned to hold that promise, I would be the only who remembers that, and the only one he would be letting down.
I finally decided to turn around and head home; not because I’ve calmed down over what the ogre said, but because I’ve been walking, browsing stores, and sitting on cold benches since 6 this morning. I slip into Garcia’s Grocery, a little convenience store. The variety wasn’t bad, but I mostly went there for a certain person.
“Hey Jenny. Jenny? Jenny!”
The discarded red mop on the counter suddenly rose up in a panic and revealed it was a person after all. “I wasn’t sleeping, Boss. I swear I wasn’t!”
“If it was me, I’d fire you for being a bad liar. You’re drooling, dude.”
Jenny was my only friend in high school. She knew my Dad’s catch phrase was “If I was president” or “If I was in charge”, and is one of the few living people who still had a good opinion of Dad. Jenny had worked at Garcia’s for about a year and a half, and I made it a point of visiting whenever I’m outside… which isn’t often.
“Sorry. I’m essentially dead right now. I’ve been here since morning…”
“But you still stayed up to listen to The Midnight Scream.”
Jenny makes it painfully clear how much a fan of the show she was every time it was mentioned. I was so upset with the Orge that I forgot to avoid the rant tripwire.
“Why wouldn’t I? I’m a faithful member of The Midnight Conspiracy, if not the most faithful! He’s the Joker to my Harley Quinn. Nevermore would be proud of how much I support the show.”
I placed twelve beers and three Danishes on the counter. “Yeah, yeah. You say that all the time. It’s not like you really know him.”
“Well, I want to!” she said as she slowly batted at the register like a bored cat. "If he ever starts up the Blind Chat again, I’m flashing him.”
Just another awkward reason that Blind Chat will probably not return, I thought.
“Of course, of course.”
“Wait, I just noticed you’re buying two six-packs. Something happened?”
“Ogre happened. Thinking about Dad.”
“Dude, no further explanation necessary. Just don’t drink yourself sick.”
“You’re warning me about overdrinking? You’re seriously sleep-deprived.”
“Ha-ha. Oh, and try to stay up tonight; I’m giving you a shout out on the Scream!”
I awkwardly smiled as the door closed behind me. Dad would be giving me some grief about not being more open with people and “showing off the family charisma” right now, but 1) Jenny cannot keep any serious secrets, and 2), I doubt Nevermore would seem so great if she knew the truth.
As I walked home, hoping I can try to get some sleep before the show, I felt like I was being watched. I didn’t stop walking though; in fact, I started running. Last thing I needed is any visitors tonight.
