Got To Get To the Show

(dialog: "//Who's going to the show tn?//", "Check the Groupchat") "Huh? What show?" Mary drops the poster in the groupchat. (align:"=><=")+(box:"X=")[Disgusting Basement Under A Carribou Coffee turned Trust Fund Baby's Horder Cave turned """//COVID Testing Site//""" turned We Work turned Abandoned Retail Space turned Your Ex's Friend's Ex's Friend's Parents Property Investment Presents... | Thought Baby Brainchild | Baloney Kaboom | penis block | 8 Doors 9 Show $10 Cover 34289 S Carrye St] //Are you kidding me?// Thought Baby Brainchild, penis block, //and// Baloney Kaboom all on one bill?! Plus, it's unseasonably warm for February and you just started smoking weed again. It's shaping up to be a great day. You just gotta make it to the show. Piece of cake. Oh shoot it's already Noon! Only 8hrs until doors! (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.8s)[[Ditch Work! You Need As Much Time As You Can To Get Ready!->Ditch Work]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.8s)[[Finish Out the Work Day. That Cover Ain't Gonna Cover Itself->Grind]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.8s)[[Throw Up!->Throw Up!]]

The air is thick and sweaty, the PBR is warm and watery, and there's most definitely a latent mold problem. Thank god. It feels like home. You made it! (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Awesome job! Play again, and see if you can find //The Secret Link//!->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

You pop your head above your cubicle and look around. As you do so, you watch your boss make his way into the bathroom. Perfect. You shove all your stuff into your backpack and army crawl through the maze of desks and down the emergency staircase to the back of the building. Pulling your hood over your head and donning a pair of eclipse glasses you've been saving in the front of your bag, you unsteadily make your way to your car at the back of the parking lot, not without bumping into a number of cars, poles, and people on the way. As you slide into the front seat you beam. //SUCCESS!// You peel away and (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Drive Home! Let's start the party early->Drive Home]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Run some errands. You need to stock up for tonight ->Walgreens]]

Your job is braiding ramen before it goes into the packet or drilling holes in swiss cheese or telemarketing for tweaky AI recreations of Ex-Girlfriends or whatever. You go through the motions of the day––the small talk at lunch, the boredom and clock-watching, falling asleep on the toilet for your daily, 2:30pm-2:35pm break. As the day draws to a close, the excitement overwhelms you and you practically fly out the front doors of the dinky 80s style office building to your car. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Drive Home! Let's start the party early.->Drive Home]]

You're so excited you projectile vomit onto the floor. You spend the rest of your lunchbreak cleaning up the ground with a stupid grin on your face. Tonight is gonna be //sick//. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.8s)[[Ditch Work! You Need As Much Time As You Can To Get Ready!->Ditch Work]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.8s)[[Finish Out the Work Day. That Cover Ain't Gonna Cover Itself->Grind]]

"I may be out of practice but... I don't think this is //just// weed..." You look at the apartment around you and watch the familiar breathing begin to start. The colors of the world are getting more vibrant. Daniel is looking at his hands. He turns to you. "Oh no." You're tripping. You decide to... (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Sober Up->Try To Sober Up]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Lean in->Lean In]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Freak Out->Freak Out!]]

You swipe the sparkly, quick-dry, black nail polish from the counter and into your coat pocket. //Classic.// Pretending to browse for a few more minutes, you quietly sing along to one of the greatest pop songs of the early 2000's--The Fray's //Over My Head (Cable Car)//. You walk to the door still humming the song and then grin as you make off with your prize, bursting into full belt as you skip to your car. You start up the engine and... (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Go to the Post Office to send a care package to your pen pal->Go To Post Office]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Go Home->Drive Home]]

The invention of the US Postal Service was one of the most impressive motions towards progress in the history of the country. Unfortunatly, it's now a shit show. //Oh god I'm here.// You're momentarily caught off guard by the immediate sense of anxiety and frustration that bubbles to the surface as you enter the building. You wait in line for 20-or-so minutes, but when you finally approach the counter for your turn, the woman behind it looks at you like she's seen a ghost and then sprints into the back room. "Um... Hello?" You say after a minute or so has passed. "Did I... Do anything?" You look down at yourself, checking to see if something is wrong. "HellooOOOooo?" You peak behind the counter. You can't see anyone but you hear soft conversation, as if a number of people are sitting and gossiping. "Excuse me! I can HEAR you!" You yell, the exasperation coming through clearly in your voice. The voices pause for a second, and then resume. "Please! It'll only take a minute!" You wait for five more minutes, yelling intermittently and walking around in circles in the lobby. You're the only one there. "I can't take this!" You shout at the ceiling. Frustrated beyond your limit, you... (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Leave your care package on the counter and head to your next errand.->Sexy Girls of the Hollywood]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Leave your care package on the counter and head home.->Drive Home]] (t8n-time:1.2s)[[Go behind the counter.->Post Office Backroom]]

"That's it!" You put the care package down on the counter and hop over, refusing to use the access door off to the side. Your heart is pounding. You've never really done something like this. You second guess yourself. //Is it really okay to do this, or am I overreacting//? You shake your head and grit your teeth. They're being jerks! You move deeper into the back, motived by the extreme nature of your choice, and the probability of catching them with wild looks on their faces when you confront them for their negligence. You step into what seems to be the back "work room". Cardboard and envelopes and paper are everywhere. There's a door that leads beyond another wall, and massive shelf with slots for organizing both mail and supplies. A couple of cups and water bottles litter the space. The trash has been used. Someone's laptop. A book. You hear a high-pitched beeping and whirl around to see a small bird's nest atop one of the shelves. You chuckle and release a little bit of the anxiety that's been creeping up on you. Nobody's here but you hear that same quiet conversation coming from behind the door. You swear they're laughing at you. What should you do? (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Give up, leave your care package on the counter, and head to your next errand.->Sexy Girls of the Hollywood]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Give up, leave your care package on the counter, and head home.->Drive Home]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Confront the whisperers behind the door.->The Backrooms]]

"Okay this is //definitely// not the place." As you and Daniel walk in, the dust of the building immediately clings to your shoes and hair and lungs. You both turn to leave when suddenly a hand covers your mouth, forcing the alcoholic odor of a wet rag into your nose. As you begin to lose consiousness, some sort of bag is thrown over your head. The world goes black. You awaken with an indescribably painful headache and a sore body. As your senses come back, you notice the bare, dirty, nature of your surroundings. You're in what seems to be a basement, complete with unfinished walls and exposed insulation, cold concrete floor, a stack of instrument cases, an sm58 plugged into nothing, and a single dinky lightbulb. Daniel is beside you, rubbing his temples. //Oh no. What's gonna happen to us?// You and Daniel look at each other, about to speak but struggling to find the words. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps interrupts you both and you huddle together as a masked man clomps his way downstairs into the basement. He says nothing at first, instead choosing to communicate by throwing a weatherbeaten copy of The Real Book and a 3 month supply of Ritalin at you and Daniel. He pauses and then pulls a banana out of his back pocket, handing it to you. "Get to work" For the next 9 months, you and Daniel are forced to make music for Spotify's "Chilled Jazz" and "Mood Booster" playlists. It isn't until AI completely takes over making music for streaming that you are chloroformed again, and wake up abandoned on the catwalk of an oil derrick three miles off the coast of Honduras. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

You open the door and find yourself in a simple, carpeted hallway, like one might find in an office building. You walk inside letting the door close behind you. The dinky flourecent lights and bare walls make you feel claustrophobic. "Hello?" You call timidly. No answer. You begin walking down the hallway and make a series of turns into various rooms, all empty or abandoned. An unsettling feeling takes up residence in your chest and you know it's time to leave. You're getting nowhere and there's neither nothing nor nobody here. You make your way back to the door you came in, but after four minutes of walking, you just can't seem to find it. You push the panic down that's rising in your throat. "Stay calm dude" you speak outloud, trying to reassure yourself, but the breathy fear overwhelming your words makes you even more worried. You try retracing your steps again and again. The rooms you're entering and doors you're opening are becoming more familiar and less at the same time. The lights are making your head pound and the weak off-white of the walls is hurting your eyes. Finally you crumple to the ground. //Is this forever?// (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

You enter the store with the confidence of a feudal lord returning to their land from some long journey. Arthur hoisting the sword out of the stone. Sexy Girls of the Hollywood embraces you with it's beautiful fluorescent polyesters and wholesale pricing. You find an exquisite jumpsuit and sick earrings, and make a note to come back for some off-brand patterened Sambas when your next paycheck hits. It's time to go home. Do you (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Cook yourself a meal->Cook Dinner]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Leftovers. Again.->Scarf, Shower, Stunt]]

As you're crossing the threshold of the Walgreens, a hand reaches out and grabs your shoulder, spinning you around. A walgreens employee stares into your soul. "What's in your pocket?" "W-what do you mean? What is this?" You suck at lying. "I saw you take the eyeliner." "I... Look, I'm just broke and-" You awkwardly stumble over your words until they fade away. The Walgreens employee crosses their arms. An eternity passes as you softly hear Hoobastank let their entire soul out onto the vinyl floor. What does //Hoobstank// even mean? Your thoughts are interrupted by the harsh voice of the Walgreens Employee. "You're coming with me". They grab your bicep and haul you to the back of the store, through metal doors to the storage area, past the break room, and start down a long flight of stairs. You've been walking for a few minutes before the thought pops into your head that the stairs could go on forever. //Oh god it's just like one of those science fiction stories I used to read in highschool.// After what seems like an eternity of walking in strange silence with the employee and an increasing temperature the further down you go, you //finally// find yourself at the end of the staircase. After being handed a Kind Bar, they let you go and you catch your breath. Around you is a vast expanse of blackness only broken by the cold metal of the stairs that seem to be softly glowing, illuminating the way up. You hear the employee's rough voice behind you. "If you can get out of Walgreens, you're free to go." You turn around to ask a question but they're not there. You stare up into the infinity, and then, begin climbing. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

You pull out your bottle of glittery, black, nail polish and carefully paint your nails, cleaning as you go. They look great! Now it's time to... You check the clock. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:6s)[[Oh no...->You Missed the Whole, Entire, Show]]

//You missed the whole, entire, show...// Oh damnit this //always// happens! You lost track of time. You spent so much time focusing on yourself and taking your time that it's already 11pm. As much as missing the show sucks, a part of you feels grateful to yourself for having such a calm and fulfilling evening. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

You pull some chicken breast and asparagus out of the fridge, put on an Isaac Hayes record you took from your grandparents house, and put together a simple recipe your friend Shrimp had given to you. You even cook some extra chicken to prepare for the week ahead. It feels nice to make a meal for yourself, plus you'll have food for a few days. Maybe you can ask Jacob for his curry recipe! It tastes great! (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Keep this good feeling going. Take a bath->Take A Bath]]

Epsom salt. Candles. Free Youtube mini-documentary. The whole shebang. You soak happily until the water turns cold, then rinse off, add lotion, and style your hair, feeling so fresh //and// so clean clean. (t8n-time:1.2s)[[Time to decide your outfit->Get Dressed]]

You wanna look cute, but don't want to stunt //too// hard, it's a DIY show after all. You try on a number of outfits 'til the floor of your bedroom is covered in clothes. Finally, you find the perfect look! Now for accessories. You try on hair, scarves, ties, belts, suspenders, socks, shoes. Perfect. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[//And why not let's add the cherry on top?//->Do Your Nails]]

You sit in traffic flipping between Clear Channel bullshit and a number of local stations and nothing at all. You keep forgetting you're driving, your mind wandering out across the expressway and into the blue sky. Somehow, you're home. (t8n-time:1.2s)[[Time To Get Ready->Scarf, Shower, Stunt]]

You come home, drop your bags, nuke some leftovers, hop in the shower, and throw on a great outfit. You've got a good amount of time before doors. What should you do? (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get some work done->Solo Sober]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Call up your best friend to come hang->Best Friend Hang]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Spend that time pregaming alone->Solo Pregame]]

You enter through the door of 34928 S Carrye and then... Into your own apartment? You stand, stunned, as you recognize the familiar hard wood and thick white walls of your home. //What..?// You take a step inside and stumble over the package you left on the floor before heading out. You gasp and whip around. Behind you is your apartment door and... the empty hallway? //Empty//? Daniel isn't there. You walk in and out of your apartment, closing and opening the door in utter disbelief. Suddenly you start to get nauseous and clumsily find your way to the bathroom, spewing the contents of your stomach into the toilet. Tremmors carry their way up your back and start to choke you. You vomit again. It isn't until you're coughing up nothing but bile that you realize you've been crying. It'll be months before you finally get a full nights sleep, and that's only after you break your lease and move to a new place. Nobody ever believes you. Daniel says you bailed on the show saying you needed to take a "night for yourself". After a few obsessive years, your therapist gently tells you to let go of the delusion. You learn to keep it locked away. Never mention it to anyone. Never bring it up. But on long nights, after a particularly tiring day you stay up and cry, grieving over the confusion and isolation you've been left with for the rest of your life. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

"Hey, u going to th show?" "Yeah!" "Wan hang out b4 at mines?" "Already on my bike" Daniel pulls up to you as you sit on the curb, picking up pebbles and chucking them across the street. "Hey" "Yo" "It's a //really// nice day." "Sure is" You begin walking around the neighborhood, talking and not talking. It’s come to the point in your relationship where your conversation is an action much like breathing. You laugh and yell, your language expanding beyond solid syntax into the abstract. You lock Daniel's bike to a tree and hop over a fence to walk the train tracks. The commuter rail is loud and scares you every time it hurtles past. It feels like the horn is going right through you. Daniel hides in the bushes everytime you see the small speck of train coming towards you, even though you both know the conductors don't really give a shit. As the sun starts setting you climb back over the fence and head back towards your apartment. Daniel turns to you. "Okay so, the show's in like two hours, what do you wanna do?" (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Smoke Sesh... //For Old Times Sake?//->The Trip Begins]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Pregame!->Pregame]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Let's Hang Out, But Keep It Sober->Sober Hang]]

Instantly the Flo Rida comes on. Good rum and some lemon juice make the strongest cocktail since last Friday. "Whew!" You chug it down with a shot or two to top off as well as a glass of white wine to chase. Then you grab some White Claws for the road. You're all loaded up and ready to go. How do you go? (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Drive->Drive To the Show]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Bike->Bike To the Show]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Public Transit->Redline to 95th or Redline to Howard]]

Actually no you don't. You call a fucking Uber. Or you carpool. Or pick any of the other options. Did you not read what came before? A cocktail, two to three heavily poured shots of rum, //and// a glass of wine? Absolutley not. No more choices. Lose the game. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

You and Daniel's wheels sound like fishing rods as you coast through alleys and sidestreets, basking in the sleepiness of bedtime in residential neighborhoods whose lawns are littered with plastic toys mimicing the real, big, world. Tiny playskool homes with stoves and shutters, Tonka trucks with broken excavators, Hula Hoops and bikes with training wheels holding on for one more month. The air is warm and almost overwhelems you as it fights to fill the space of your lungs. You puff and grin and like dolphins dancing around eachother, framed by the soft light of bay windows and gangways. The streetlights shine off your frames. You pull up to two major cross streets and pause to check your phone. It's dead. "Mine too.." says Daniel. "We can figure this out only..." [[What Was the Address Again?->What Was the Address Again?]]

You get to the train station and climb the stairs up onto the platform. Nearly a minute later two trains pull in, one heading to Geyser Park, and one to 88th Street. You look at Daniel. "Uh..." (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[88th Street->Redline to 95th]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Geyser Park->Redline to Howard]]

You get on the train. There aren't too many people in your car for this time of night, so you and Daniel are a little louder and sillier than usual, surfing and laughing and hyping yourselves up. Before your stop you feel a slight twing of hunger. Do you want to... (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks before the show?->Stop To Get Snacks]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks after the show?->Continue On To the Show]]

It isn't until the train pulls away that you realize your mistake. //Ah shoot!// You were supposed to go the other way. You grumble and get out at the next stop. As you and Daniel wait for the south-bound train, you feel a pair of eyes on you. After a few minutes you turn around and take a peek. A woman is staring directly at you. She grins when you meet her eyes for that brief moment. You turn back around, nervous. You try to focus on waiting for the train but you can still feel her eyes on your back. Do you... (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Look straight ahead->Look Straight Ahead]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Go talk to the woman->Talk To the Mysterious Woman]]

You timidly approach the woman. Her smile broadens as you walk closer towards her. "I have something you might like" she says, in a soft voice, not at all what you were expecting. She seems kind and smells like an evergreen forest, dressed in varying shades of orange and brown. You watch with intrigue as she opens her jacket and pulls a small business card out from an inside pocket. "Take this." You take the card and look at it. On the card is a link: https://xfxrxuxixtxlxexaxtxhxexrx.bandcamp.com/ "Thank you!" You say, unsure what it is. She claps a hand on your shoulder. "I hope you make it to your show" You stare at her, surprised, as she nods and turns slowly away from you. You keep staring as your train to 88th Street slowly rolls into the station. You get on the train. There aren't too many people in your car for this time of night, so you and Daniel are a little louder and sillier than usual, surfing and laughing and hyping yourselves up. Before your stop you feel a slight twing of hunger. Do you want to (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks before the show?->Stop To Get Snacks]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks after the show?->Continue On To the Show]]

You keep looking straight ahead, but you can still feel her eyes burning into your neck. "Yoohoo. I see you". //Was that her//? You fight the urge to turn around and look at her. Your palms are starting to sweat. //Where is that damn train//? You start to weigh your options. Maybe it'll be a pleasant interaction if you turn around. What's the worst that could happen? On the other hand, you've had some pretty unsettling things happen to you on the redline and today was going really well. Finally you make a decision. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Talk to the mysterious woman->Talk To the Mysterious Woman]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Ignore her->Keep Looking Straight Ahead]]

You keep your eyes trained ahead and hear a "tsk" behind you. You don't want any strangeness in your day today. The train to 88th Street rolls in and you and Daniel get on. There aren't too many people in your car for this time of night, so you and Daniel are a little louder and sillier than usual, surfing and laughing and hyping yourselves up. Before your stop you feel a slight twing of hunger. Do you want to (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks before the show?->Stop To Get Snacks]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks after the show?->Continue On To the Show]]

As the drugs begin to wear off you find yourself stripped down to your underwear, tears flowing, snot abundant in the overgrowth of the parking lot of an abandoned Dollar General by the suburban nature preserve. The sun is barely begininning to rise, and it looks like you have just enough time to walk home through the winding alleys and greenways of the city before it begins to wake up. As you start walking, you feel yourself brimming over with ease and freedom, the fears and issues of the past four years have washed away with your tears. The warm sun feels good on you and you're ready for the journey. You've missed the show. So what. //So what.// (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

Wait.. What was the address again?... (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:6s)[[34928 S Carrye St->I Don't Think This Is the Place...]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:6s)[[34829 S Carrye St->Are You Sure This Is the Place..?]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:6s)[[34289 S Carrye St->You Made It!]]

You get off the train and start hoofing it to the show. Your stomach growls again. "I could go for a snack." You say. "Ehh I'm not that hungry" Daniel responds. "But I don't mind going somewhere with you" he adds helpfully. You find a corner store and step inside. Options and options upon rows and rows of refined sugar, dyes, and powdered flavoring. You finally grab something savory and "hot" and pull up to the counter. The guy behind the counter is nice, but won't meet your eye. It gives you a weird feeling, but you shake your head. //Let people be people//. You're not that comfortable with making eye contact either. You pay with cash and when he hands you your change, you somehow miss and the coins go rolling everywhere. "Sorry! Sorry!" You and Daniel duck to pick up everything. Out of the corner of your eye you notice a particularly large coin roll into the breakroom of the store. You walk over and then second guess yourself. //Can I go in there?// You turn to ask the man if he wouldn't mind grabbing the half-dollar for you but he's gone. You pause and look for Daniel, but he's busy playing with some plastic thing by the door. Should you... (t8n-time:1.2s)[[Leave it, it's not big deal->Continue On To the Show]] (t8n-time:1.2s)[[Grab the coin. 50 cents is 50 cents!->Tienda Backroom]]

You and Daniel stroll down familiar streets as the night really comes about, and faces begin to show up everywhere. People eating, driving, walking, working. You feel the excitement of a Friday night. It's a warm evening and you get to the venue safely. Or at least you would if you remembered the address. You pause at two major cross streets and pause to check your phone. It's dead. "Mine too.." says Daniel. "We can figure this out only..." (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[What Was the Address Again?->What Was the Address Again?]]

You head into the breakroom and find it empty save for a few personal items, some shelves with overstock, a drainage grate, and a door that seems to be... glowing? You look under the shelves and in corners but you can't find the coin anywhere. It must've fallen into the grate. But the coin doesn't feel as important anymore. Your eyes keep finding their way back to the door. You decide to go deeper into the break room towards the door, and as you walk up you hear the sound of waves and gulls from behind, a full seascape. Warm air seeps out from under the crack in the door and the handle is warm. It's so tempting. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Open the door.->The Backrooms]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You shouldn't be here, leave.->Continue On To the Show]]

You set your jaw and breath deeply through your nose. That sends you on another wave of the come-up and you stumble shakily. After steadying yourself you look at Daniel. "Alright". You take his head between your sweaty palms and press your forehead to his, whispering dramatically, "We move into Squad Option Beta Evasive Reconnaissance--//Ultra Plan//". Daniel takes a second to focus his eyes on you and then nods. He is very serious. "Let's S.O.B.E.R.--U.P.". You break apart, moving with ultimate purpose to your battle stations. Daniel grabs two glasses of water from the fridge and shoves one into your hands as you, now in the bathroom, attempt to make yourself puke. You switch places, rubbing his back and gratefully guzzling the cup of cold, healing, water into your raw throat. After Daniel upchucks, you roll out of the bathroom and he begins refilling the water. "I think I have some coke from a minute ago!" you yell across the apartment as Daniel kneels level with the coffee table, taking a coaster and scraping it across the wood to create a small pile of weed. "Sick!" he replies and sticks a toothpick into your bowl, adding resin to the pile. You shove your hands between couch cushions, under the bed, on the tops of dusty counters and shelves. You finally find a tiny, greasy baggy in a discarded purse and put it next to the decently sized emergency joint Daniel has rolled. Daniel has already plugged in your vapes to charge and you turn on the shower, hopping into the freezing cold water yelling bloody murder, while Daniel laughs his way into tears. You both know that the Ultra Plan is little more than a placebo, but neither of you say it. It feels good just to try anything so silly and as you step out into the world with wet hair, aching cheeks, and tear stained faces, you feel confident that you'll be okay at the show. //You still just have to get there//... (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Drive->Drive To the Show Tripping]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Bike->Bike To the Show]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Public Transit->Redline to 95th or Redline to Howard]]

You breath deeply. "I want to just lay in this feeling." But you cannot do that forever. Half an hour later a force, a gentle hand, lifts you from your back and onto your feet carrying you out of your living room and into your kitchen. You grab a glass of water and then float onto the tiny back porch of your apartment. The last dying rays of the sun fade into the pale dome of dusk. As bats come out and the sounds of the night wash over the city, the drugs begin to form the best cosmic light show you've ever seen, filling the light polluted skyline with comets and stars and full round planets floating past. A full symphony accompanies your eyes, complete with honking horns, percussive trains and cars, and a sweet melody coming from inside you. Quietly the back door opens and Daniel comes to join you, silent and awestruck the moment he steps outside. You stand there for over two hours. Suddenly you get an idea. You pull out the rest of the laced joint and hold it up. "Want some more?" You ask Daniel. "Nah, I'm good." He replies good naturedly. "I think I'm actually gonna head home." You walk him to the door and watch him hop on his bike. Being outside feels so good. You walk to the nearby park and finish the joint under a kind old oak that keeps telling you secrets. You do not come back into your body until... (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[The drugs begin to wear off->The Drugs Wear Off]]

//Oh shit this is not supposed to be happening. How did psychs get into your weed? Where did this even come from?// You hear those familiar thoughts in your head. It's okay. It's gonna be okay. //This is gonna go so bad// //You're gonna get stuck here forever// //You're screwed, man// No... No! You've got this. Maybe? (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Try to sober up->Try To Sober Up]] (t8n-time:1.2s)[[Start to panic->Freak Out!!]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Lean In->Lean In]]

You and Daniel look at each other and laugh, letting the world brighten. You shake your head, //how did this even happen?// you wonder, but the thought is already gone. "We've still got a little bit of time before we need to leave" offers Daniel. You both sit on the floor of your apartment, watching trippy videos, listening to music, drawing and talking in sentences that never finish. You're having a really really good time and //still// coming up. After a period of contented silence Daniel speaks. "Man I don't even wanna go to the show anymore". You gently chew on this thought as well as your tongue. "Honestly..." you trail off. You really are having such a great time. "You know what!" you blurt out, the room reverberating in infinite shades of purple from the vibrations of your words. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[["Let's just stay here"->Let Go and Let God]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[["We should still go to the show. Let's try and sober up"->Try To Sober Up]] (t8n-time:1.2s)[["This isn't feeling good anymore"->Freak Out!!]]

The drugs are getting stronger, and what's worse, your brain just can't handle it. You start panicking. It becomes a cycle. You try to take deep breaths but it's just not working. It feels like there's half a dozen AAA batteries lodged in your windpipe. The world begins to tilt to the left and you lay on the ground, trying so hard not to fall off. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:4.0s)[[NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE->FREAK OUT!!!]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Try and sober up->Try To Sober Up]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Let go and let god->Let Go and Let God]]

You start to feel a hole opening in your back and you begin focusing all your energy to close it. //Close... Close... Close...// Suddenly, you realize you're not breathing. You gulp in a huge breath of air and as you exhale, you start to feel yourself being pulled backwards into that same hole in your back, as if the eraser of a giant pencil was pushing your bellybutton in until your whole body folds on itself to follow. Inside the emptiness of the hole in your back, you feel your throat being electrocuted and begin fevershily trying not to use it to swallow, or breathe, or scream. Although... you //can// hear someone screaming. It's you. The black expanse is filled with the violent voices of your soul. The moment you realize what you're screaming is the moment your vision goes white. //"You cannot come back from this"// (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

'This was a stupid, stupid, //stupid// idea' you think after 40 minutes of walking and checking your phone which, of course, is on it's last legs of battery. One and a half more hours to go... You finally make it to the venue only to see everyone spilling out into the night air, buzzing from inibriates, intimacy, and really really loud music. //Damnit//. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

Ahh Walgreens... The flourecent lighting and desperate ambient pop break-up songs floating in and out of your conscience. You check to see if anyone is watching as you finally find what you were looking for... (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Steal the Nail Polish->Steal Nail Polish From Walgreens]] (t8n-time:1.2s)[[Steal the Eyeliner->Steal Eyeliner From Walgreens]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Steal the Ibuprofen->Steal Ibuprofen]]

You hang, listen to the radio, make a house of Cheez-Its. Eventually it's time to leave. How do you move? (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Drive->Sober Drive To the Show]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Bike->Bike To the Show]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Public Transit->Redline to 95th or Redline to Howard]]

Instantly the Chaka Khan comes on. Good rum and some lemon juice make the strongest cocktail since last Friday. "whew!" You chug it down with a shot or two to top off as well as a glass of white wine to chase. You grab some White Claws for the road. You're good 'n' ready. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Drive->Drive To the Show]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Bike->Solo Bike To the Show]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Public Transit->Solo Redline to 95th or Redline to Howard]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Walk to the Show->Walk To the Show]]

Your wheels sound like fishing rods as you coast through alleys and sidestreets, basking in the sleepiness of bedtime in residential neighborhoods whose lawns are littered with plastic toys mimicking the big, real, world. Tiny Playskool homes with stoves and shutters, Tonka trucks with broken excavators, Hula Hoops and bikes with training wheels holding on for one more month. The air is warm and almost overwhelems you as it fights to fill the space of your lungs. You puff and grin and like a dolphin dancing through the ocean you glide, framed by the soft light of bay windows and gangways. The streetlights shine off your frame. Eventually you pull up to two major cross streets and pause to check your phone. It's dead. [[What Was the Address Again? ->What Was the Address Again?(solo)]]

You get to the redline station and climb the stairs up onto the platform. Nearly a minute later two trains pull in, one heading to Geyser Park, and one to 88th Street. "Uh..." (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[88th Street->Solo Redline to 95th]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Geyser Park->Solo Redline to Howard]]

You get in the car, windows down, music blasting out into the night air. It's an univentful drive and you get to the venue safely. Or at least you would if you remembered the address. You pull up to two major cross streets and pause to check your phone. It's dead. "Mine too.." says Daniel. "We can figure this out only..." [[What Was the Address Again?->What Was the Address Again?]]

You enter through the door of 34928 S Carrye and then... Into your own apartment? You stand, stunned, as you recognize the familiar hard wood and thick white walls of your home. //What..?// You take a step inside and stumble over the package you left on the floor before heading out. You gasp and whip around. Behind you is your apartment door and... the hallway? You walk in and out of your apartment, closing and opening the door in utter disbelief. Suddenly you start to get nauseous and clumsily find your way to the bathroom, spewing the contents of your stomach into the toilet. Tremmors scramble their way up your back and start to choke you. You vomit again. It isn't until you're coughing up nothing but bile that you realize you've been crying. It'll be months before you finally get a full nights sleep, and that's only after you break your lease and move to a new place. Nobody ever believes you, saying that you flaked on the show and said you were gonna take a "self care" night. After a few obsessive years, your therapist gently tells you to let go of the delusion. You learn to keep it locked away. Never mention it to anyone. Never bring it up. But on long nights, after a particularly tiring day, you stay up and cry, grieving over the confusion and isolation you've been left with for the rest of your life. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

"Okay this is //definitely// not the place." As you walk in, the dust of the building immediately clings to your shoes and hair and lungs. You both turn to leave when suddenly a hand covers your mouth, forcing the alcoholic odor of a wet rag into your nose. As you begin to lose consiousness, some sort of bag is thrown over your head. The world goes black. You awaken with an indescribably painful headache and a sore body. As your senses come back, you notice the bare, dirty, nature of your surroundings. You're in what seems to be a basement, complete with unfinished walls and exposed insulation, cold concrete floor, a stack of instrument cases, an sm58 plugged into nothing, and a single dinky lightbulb. //Oh no. What's gonna happen to me?// Suddenly the sound of footsteps interrupts your thoughts and you pull yourself in close as a masked man clomps his way downstairs into the basement. He says nothing at first, instead choosing to communicate by throwing a weatherbeaten copy of the real book and a 3 month supply of ritalin at you. He pauses and then pulls a banana out of his back pocket, handing it over. "Get to work." For the next 9 months, you are forced to make music for Spotify's "Chilled Jazz" and "Mood Booster" playlists. It isn't until AI completely takes over making music for streaming that you are chloroformed again, and wake up abandoned on the catwalk of an oil derrick three miles off the coast of Honduras. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]

Wait...? What was the address again...? (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:6s)[[34928 S Carrye St->I Don't Think This Is the Place... (solo)]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:6s)[[34829 S Carrye St->Are You Sure This Is the Place..? (solo)]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:6s)[[34289 S Carrye St->You Made It!]]

//With great power, comes great responsatrillitrance//. You spend the next few hours checking things off your to-do list. You drink water. You call your grandmother. Soon it's time to leave. How do you get there? (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Drive->Solo Sober Drive To Show]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Train->Solo Redline to 95th or Redline to Howard]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Bike->Solo Bike To the Show]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Walk to the Show->Walk To the Show]]

You get in the car, windows down, music blasting out into the night air. It's an univentful drive and you get to the venue safely. Or at least you would if you remembered the address. You pull up to two major cross streets and pause to check your phone. It's dead. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[What Was the Address Again?->What Was the Address Again?(solo)]]

You get on the train. It's filled with people but you find a seat in your favorite spot next to the window. You snuggle into yourself listening to the hubbub of other lives flowing through your own. The streets feel like lost worlds hidden underwater and you, in your submarine, are about to adventure there. Before you get to your stop you feel a slight twing of hunger. Do you want to (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks before the show?->Solo Stop To Get Snacks]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks after the show?->Solo Continue On To the Show]]

It isn't until the train pulls away that you realize your mistake. //Ah shoot!// You were supposed to go the other way. You grumble and get out at the next stop. As you wait for the south-bound train, you feel a pair of eyes on you. After a few minutes you turn around and take a peek. A woman is staring directly at you. She grins when you meet her eyes for that brief moment. You turn back around, nervous. You try to focus on waiting for the train but you can still feel her eyes on your back. Do you (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Look straight ahead->Solo Look Straight Ahead]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Go talk to the woman->Solo Talk To the Mysterious Woman]]

You get off the train and start hoofing it to the show. Your stomach growls again. You find a corner store and step inside. Options and options upon rows and rows of refined sugar, dyes, and powdered flavoring. You finally grab something savory and "hot" and pull up to the counter. The guy behind the counter is nice, but won't meet your eye. It gives you a weird feeling, but you shake your head. //Let people be people//. You're not that comfortable with making eye contact either. You pay with cash and when he hands you your change, you somehow miss and the coins go rolling everywhere. "Sorry! Sorry!" You duck to pick up everything. Out of the corner of your eye you notice a particularly large coin roll into the breakroom of the store. You walk over and then second guess yourself. //Can I go in there?// You turn to ask the man if he wouldn't mind grabbing the half-dollar for you, but he's gone. You pause. Should you...? (t8n-time:1.2s)[[Leave it. It's not that big a deal->Solo Continue On To the Show]] (t8n-time:1.2s)[[Grab the coin. 50 cents is 50 cents->Solo Tienda Backroom]]

You stroll down familiar streets as the night really comes about, and faces begin to show up everywhere. People eating, driving, walking, working. You feel the excitement of a Friday night. It's a warm evening and you get to the venue safely. Or at least you would if you remembered the address. You pause at two major cross streets and check your phone. It's dead. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[What Was the Address Again?->What Was the Address Again?(solo)]]

You head into the breakroom and find it empty save for a few personal items, some shelves with overstock, a drainage grate, and a door that seems to be... glowing? You look under the shelves and in corners but you can't find the coin anywhere. It must've fallen into the grate. But the coin doesn't feel as important anymore. Your eyes keep finding their way back to the door. You decide to go deeper into the break room towards it, and as you walk up you hear the sound of waves and gulls from behind--//a full seascape//. Warm air seeps out from under the crack in the door and the handle is warm. It's so tempting. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:4.0s)[[Open the door.->The Backrooms]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You shouldn't be here, leave.->Solo Continue On To the Show]]

You keep looking straight ahead, but you can still feel her eyes burning into your neck. "Yoohoo. I see you". //Was that her//? You fight the urge to turn around and look at her. Your palms are starting to sweat. //Where is that damn train//? You start to weigh your options. Maybe it'll be a pleasant interaction if you turn around. What's the worst that could happen? On the other hand, you've had some pretty unsettling things happen to you on the Redline and today was going really well. Finally you make a decision. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Talk to the mysterious woman->Solo Talk To the Mysterious Woman]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Ignore her->Solo Keep Looking Straight Ahead]]

You timidly approach the woman. Her smile broadens as you walk closer towards her. "I have something you might like" she says, in a soft voice, not at all what you were expecting. She seems kind and smells like patchouli and cigarettes, dressed in varying shades of orange and brown. You watch with intrigue as she opens her jacket and pulls a small business card out from an inside pocket. "Take this." You take the card and look at it. On the card is a link: https://xfxrxuxixtxlxexaxtxhxexrx.bandcamp.com/ "Thank you" You say, unsure what it is. She claps a hand on your shoulder. "I hope you make it to your show." You stare at her, surprised, as she nods and turns slowly away from you. You keep staring as your train to 88th Street slowly rolls into the station. You get on the train. It's filled with people but you find a seat in your favorite spot next to the window. You snuggle into yourself listening to the hubbub of other lives flowing through your own. The streets feel like lost worlds hidden underwater and you, in your submarine, are about to adventure there. Before you get to your stop you feel a slight twing of hunger. Do you want to (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks before the show->Solo Stop To Get Snacks]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks after the show->Solo Continue On To the Show]]

You keep your eyes trained ahead and hear a "tsk" behind you. You don't want any strangeness in your day today. The train to 88th Street rolls into the station and you get on. It's filled with people but you find a seat in your favorite spot next to the window. You snuggle into yourself listening to the hubbub of other lives flowing through your own. The streets feel like lost worlds hidden underwater and you, in your submarine, are about to adventure there. Before you get to your stop you feel a slight twing of hunger. Do you want to...? (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks before the show?->Solo Stop To Get Snacks]] (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[Get snacks after the show?->Solo Continue On To the Show]]

Actually no you don't. You call a fucking Uber. Or you carpool. Or pick any of the other options. Did you not read what came before? You're //t r i p p i n g//. Absolutley not. No more choices. Lose the game. (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")+(t8n-time:1.2s)[[You didn't make it to the show. Try again.->Your Phone Buzzes On a Friday]]