LÍO

MANIC MONDAY

The comedown's worse than the high.

Flashing lights fill his visual field. Amongst the sea of white are patterns unlike anything he's ever seen before. Owls, serpents, ghosts and even aliens flash through his thoughts.

With each passing tick of the clock amplified inside his echo chamber, the voices get louder.

Screaming externally, he tries to let it all out. His heart thumps through his chest, ready to explode out the other side.

The hell inside his mind spills out into his five senses, creating a grating symphony of horror.

He tries to open his eyes but they're stuck together like glue. He's tries to press against the dark walls but realises he's suffocating inside a cell of his own creation.

The harder he shoves, the more like popping candy his body becomes. Until eventually he dissolves with a tingle and static dissolves the scene before it spits him back into reality.

Leaning his body over the rickety bed frame, he fills the beside trash can full with lumpy, pink clumps of alien-like goo and vows never to do hard drugs before a school night ever again.

Staring at his phone, he lets out a sigh as he realises that classes started six hours ago. Unable to regain his composure, he decides to ignore the ten messages that Adam's sent him in the last hour alone.

Feeing guilty as he hears another ping, he sighs and unlocks his phone. Opening the app, he types back a 'Si' to the last question ('¿estas bien?') and throws the device back onto his table.

Little does he realise that he's accidentally started a conversation. Groaning, he takes his phone back and checks it again. Trying not to crack up at Adam's questions, he takes a selfie and sends it to him with a sick emoji.

Adam wants to know if Georgia is with him. Marco says that she's with Gaizka and that he's not answering anymore messages today.

Adam texts back with more questions before Marco has the bright idea of turning the phone off and closing his eyes.

Eventually, everything grinds to a halt after five minutes and he's back in the land of nod once again.

آدم

Adam's glad that his shifts finally over. He's thrilled to be going back home again, even though Marco's ignored him all afternoon.

Hopping off the bus, he smiles as he enters the apartment complex, only to swing the door open and find Mahmoud standing there with a stern look across his face, ready to explode:

"Boy, WHERE were you this morning?"

"I-I was out."

"Where?" Mahmoud tries his best to contain himself. "Remember the agreement? This is your second strike."

"In one weekend?" Adam adds, trying not to smirk. "I didn't think that was possible—"

"—ALL I want is a bit of respect from my Son in my home; nothing more, nothing less!" Mahmoud yells, firing a camel ornament at Adam and hitting him on the cheek. "Why can't you get that into your thick skull?!"

"Why can't you respect the fact that I'm not ten anymore?!" Adam yells back as he punches Mahmoud in the jaw before Mahmoud swings around and floors Adam with a swift punch in the gut.

Adam grabs his abdomen and rolls around in pain on the floor, trying his best not to emote.

"I've tried being reasonable with you, but it just doesn't work," Mahmoud adds between heavy breaths in a low hiss as he leans over Adam, "you just constantly try to one up me. I have no idea why you have this attitude problem, but it needs to stop."