𝕁𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤// 𝔸 𝔾𝕚𝕝𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕥 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕡𝕖 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪

Prologue

My brother Arnie's about to turn 18. My family's planning a big party for him.

Watching the campers is our yearly ritual.

They're doing the right thing just passing through.

Endora.

Endora's where we are.

Describing Endora is like dancing to no music. It's a town where nothing much ever happens... and nothing much ever will.

My father built the house I live in with my family. It's my job to keep up the repairs.

Doctors said we'd be lucky if Arnie lived to be ten.

Well, ten came and went. Now the doctors are saying... "Any time now, Arnie can go at any time."

Some days you want him to live...

some days you don't.

My older sister Amy's more like a mother. She used to manage the elementary school cafeteria over in Motley...until it burned down last year.

My other sister, Ellen, just turned 15.

She got her braces off, and for days now she's been walking around going, "Ooh. Ahh." Like she can't believe the feel of teeth.

I got another brother, Larry, but he got away.

Mama, who in her day...was the prettiest girl in these parts.

Ever since our dad was hung out to dry 17 years ago...Mama's had her hands full.

You see, with Mama there's no nice way to break it to you. She hasn't left the house in over seven years.

Then there's Blair, Blair Wilson. The most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on.

The girl I'm in love with,the girl that stole my heart.

We met at Lamson's grocery, where we both work.

She's friendly, compassionate, fiery with a quick wit. She's absolutely alluring, everything about her. Her brown hair and green eyes completely mesmerize me.

The minute I laid eyes on her, I was extremely infatuated. Shortly after we became friends, but nothing more than that.

Despite my attempts she always remains rather resistant.

Although sparks did fly one night, one beautiful night that she let me show her how much she means to me, but the next morning she was gone and when I tried to talk about it she blamed the liquor.

Despite her lack of responsiveness I'm not giving up. To her we're just friends,but to me we're so much more.

I'm Gilbert.

Gilbert Grape.