SR ε: Dry Veins (2021)

Ch.3: Changes

A Peculiar Aftertaste
September 18th

I woke up this morning to find that my vision had improved, along with some other differences. Are kids supposed to have abs? Just kidding, but I do feel stronger. More energy than normal, too. I've been typing a little bit less, and talking less like I think I'm a time traveler from 17th Century England. Not much time for it, I'm afraid. I have to climb this fence that's begging for it.

Love My Way
Evening

Whatever it is I'm putting down, people are picking it up, for the first time in like, ever. Girls are saying hi. Boys are saying hi. They're also drooling on my shoes, figuratively speaking. Maybe it's because I look a bit different? Sharper, more awake.

I really appreciate their attention, but I also noticed how sick they look. Also, I'm still twelve, so I don't really need anything romantic right now. Kids gotta have fun. Maybe getting what you want is the best way to stop wanting it, sometimes. Maybe kisses and hugs are just kisses and hugs, and that "something more" we're always waiting for is still yet to come, and that's okay. What I DO want is to make a friend. Did I make any friends? Not really. They were just hanging around me, waiting for me to sweep them off their feet. It felt like I woke up in a love flick but all I wanted to do was play ping pong and eat a sandwich.

Even Quincy and his British friend Beakley have been acting different. Trying to get a little closer than normal, as if I have something valuable that they'd like to get their clammy hands on. I've declined three invitations to hang out in the last hour, and Quincy's been showing me pictures he took of himself without a shirt on, with an instant camera. This whole thing is starting to feel kind of... gross. Is it some kind of smell I'm giving out?

You're missing essential vitrients in your diet.

Vitrients?

Vitamins and nutrients put together. They're essential.

For what?

A balanced breakfast!

Shut up!!

T-Minus Nothing
The Day After That

I keep waiting for something bad to happen, but it never comes. Who was it that said that anticipation was worse than the whip? And who was the guy who waited for his defense to wear thin and then whipped him anyway? I'd like to talk to them about synergy, and respecting your fellow individuals. Jaijit's been ignoring me since the Day Of. Like if he's interested he can't just work up the courage to apologize for taking the initiative a little too far, or like he's just done with me. Both possibilities suck. I don't even have the energy to wax Olde English anymore. It's like... too much work.

Game Day
September 25th?? What???

I spent a few more days skipping classes and drinking canned juice and eating non-dairy chocolate ice cream. It gets gross after a while, too much potato starch. Still better than the real thing. I don't miss having giant, swelling infections all over my skin from eating dairy.

But it has minimals!

Minimals?

12 essential minimals.

You're going to have to shut up for one afternoon. I'm not going to be able to write this journal thing in retrospect the whole time, I just flat out don't have the energy. So I'm going to record what happens and transcribe the audio. It's going to sound like shit and it's mostly there just to help me remember what happened, so you'll have to take my word for it.