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. "Let's not mention that Craig kissed me," I said, "Craig has become 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. If I were you, I would be careful to keep my distance, or else get sucked into his mental breakdown."

I suddenly felt a wave of anger grow in my chest. "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 dealt 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 cause you to crumble underneath him."

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

Travis sighed and shrugged.

We continued into the living room to give the sleeping George and upside-down Brett the same 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 left to only the two of us.

I wouldn't get much sleep tonight. Not because I was worried about tomorrow. But because I'd be up all night. Instead of going straight to bed with my boyfriend Jack. I had one more religious session to attend to. I went to the library to see Craig.