SWIM Book 1 (Complete three-hundred pages)

Day 22.2 Sunday, December 10, 2017

I asked Travis not to mention what just happened to anybody, especially Jack, because, obviously, I said, Craig is becoming mentally unwell.

Travis acknowledged some sort of awkward strangeness forming in Craig's aura, but Travis admitted that he always thought Craig was mentally unwell. "Isn't Craig's mother a prostitute and father a street bum?"

I shot him a look like he was joking as we made our way up to the fourth floor. "Don't be ridiculous," I said.

"Alright," said Travis as we reached the landing and headed for George who was snoring on the couch with a belly full of my salmon, and Brett who was standing on his head against the transparent balcony door as a minimal way to exercise while conserving energy. "But," stopped Travis pointing at me in a warning fashion, "You've heard the phrase "Daughter of her father's eyes, haven't you?"

I shook my head. "I'm the daughter of my father's eyes?"

Travis shook his head. "No. You're looking at Craig the way a father sees his daughter without noticing any of her imperfections. You see what you want to see in him, and I warn you to take heed to his crazy side."

I shook my head again and laughed. "Craig doesn't have a wild side. He's gentle as a bunny."

Travis shook his head at me. "Craig has been through major shit in his life. He is not innocent in any way. And I were you, I would be careful to keep my distance, lest I get sucked into his mental breakdown."

I suddenly felt a wave of anger grow hot on my face. "Craig is not going to have a mental breakdown. He's just afraid like all of us and is handling it with some soothing scripture. He has delt with his past in a healthy way so far, and he has us to keep him company."

But Travis shook his head one more time. "No company will fix Craig. He is a broken statue ten miles high, and any attempt to fix him will only help you crumble underneath him."

I rolled my eyes. "You don't know what you're talking about. I know my friends."

Travis sighed and shrugged, and turned so we could continue into the living room to give the sleeping George and upside-down Brett our spiel for tomorrow morning. Neither seemed interested, and Travis and I looked at each other hopelessly in understanding that tomorrow's bridge walk, food search, boat search and four-story arson would be up to the two of us.

Tonight, would be a hard night to sleep. And not just because of tomorrow's plan.

Because before I went to bed with my boyfriend Jack, I had one more religious library session. . . with Craig.