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[laundry_buddy]

This is Billy’s twenty-ninth nightmare since first seeing Penny in the bar. It’s exactly the same as all the others, painted in bright red and zombie gray. Surreal, in a way-dream colliding with memory.

Here is the scene: the girl he loves is dead, in the corner. Everyone stares. He kneels down by the body, watching the blood pool around her. He

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[caring_hand]

And at that exact moment, there's a knock at the door. Not forceful, but not too soft either.

He was easier to track down than she thought...but still, it makes her nervous to go find him. What if he thinks she's weird for doing that? What if--?

There's a hundred and fifty 'what if's' going through her head.

"Billy? Are...you in there? It's me, Penny?"

[laundry_buddy]

Billy opens his eyes, blearily. In his half-awake state, he'd swear he just heard Penny's voice.

After a moment, he closes his eyes, hoping to hear it again.

[caring_hand]

She knocks again, a little louder.

"Billy? It's me, Penny...please, open up?"

She sighs, and waits a little impatiently.

[laundry_buddy]

Billy's eyes come open again, sharply.

He sits up, looks down, hastily pulls a discarded pair of jeans on over the pyjamas. He surveys the room, and tries to shove his dirty laundry under the bed.

Finally, he goes to the door and opens it. "Uh, sorry about that."