full

“The Package” by NightEyes DaySpring

Sometimes the things we miss the most in life are the little things, as Theo is about to find out…

Today’s story is “The Package” by NightEyes DaySpring, a known troublemaker who is rumored to have a penchant for coffee and an interest in dead, ancient civilizations. Information about him and his writing can be found at nighteyes-dayspring.com.

Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.

thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.

https://thevoice.dog/episode/the-package-by-nighteyes-dayspring

Transcript
Speaker:

You’re

Speaker:

listening

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

Pride

Speaker:

Month

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

Voice

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of

Speaker:

Dog. This

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

Rob

Speaker:

MacWolf,

Speaker:

your

Speaker:

fellow

Speaker:

traveler,

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and

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Today’s

Speaker:

story

Speaker:

is “The

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Package”

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by

Speaker:

NightEyes

Speaker:

DaySpring,

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a

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known

Speaker:

troublemaker

Speaker:

who

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is

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rumored

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to

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have

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a

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penchant

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for

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coffee

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and

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an

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interest

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in

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dead,

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ancient

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civilizations.

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Information

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about

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him

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and

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his

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writing

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can

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be

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found

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at

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nighteyes-dayspring.com.

It

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is

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sadly

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common

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to

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live

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life

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with

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expectations

lowered:

lowered:

by

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discrimination,

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by

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loneliness,

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by

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having

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what

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is

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the

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bare

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minimum

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for

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straight

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couples

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be

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for

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years

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out

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of

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reach.

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Too

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many

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of

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us

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know

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what

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it

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is

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to

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be

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starving

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but

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incapable

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of

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asking

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for

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more.

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But

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in

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this

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state

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it

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is

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possible

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for

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the

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smallest

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gestures,

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too

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small

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to

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be

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meaningful

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to

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any

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but

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ourselves,

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to

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mean

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the

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world.

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Perhaps the

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lesson

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of

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here,

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is

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not

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to

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expect

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more

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from

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the

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world,

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but

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to

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be

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prouder

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of

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triumphs

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so

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small

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they are

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visible

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only

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to

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ourselves.

Please

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enjoy


“The

lowered:

Package”

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by

lowered:

NightEyes DaySpring

“It’s

lowered:

only

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for four months,”

lowered:

Theo

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told me

lowered:

when

lowered:

he

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was

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leaving. “You

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know

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I

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can’t

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pass

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up

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this

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opportunity,

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Felix.”
I

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wanted

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to

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argue

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then,

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I

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wanted

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to

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scream

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that

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he

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didn’t

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need

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to

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go,

lowered:

but

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I

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couldn’t

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argue

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the

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fact.

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A

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chance

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to

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work

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in

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that

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lab

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definitely

lowered:

wasn’t

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something

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he

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could

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pass

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up.

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We’d

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been

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over

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this

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before,

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and

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it

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was

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my

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anxiety

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that

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was

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talking

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now.

lowered:

Theo had

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already

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spent

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years

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on

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his

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doctorate, so

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when

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the

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opportunity

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came

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to

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travel

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to

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the

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leading

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university

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in

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his

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field,

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because

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they

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wanted

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him

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there

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for

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the

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spring

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semester,

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who

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was

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I

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to

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tell

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him

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no?
“It’s

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okay,

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we’ll

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talk

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often,”

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he

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added, and

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reached

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out

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to

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brush

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the side of

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my

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muzzle.

lowered:

I

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knew

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he

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could

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smell

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my

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worry. It

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was

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palpable

lowered:

enough

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that

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I

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thought

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I

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could

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smell

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it

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too.
I

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nodded.

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We

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were

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on

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the

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East

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Coast

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because

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my

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own

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had

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brought

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us

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here, and

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now

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I

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was

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continuing

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on

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with a

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postdoc.

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Theo had

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only

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applied

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to

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local

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university

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because

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it

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game

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in

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town.

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wanted

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to

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go out

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together,

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but

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it

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out,

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so

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we

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were,

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two

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wolves

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working

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hard

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to

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achieve

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their

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dreams.

lowered:

I

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had

lowered:

landed

lowered:

in

lowered:

a

lowered:

prestigious

lowered:

department,

lowered:

and

lowered:

Theo…well,

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he

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had

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to

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make

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an

lowered:

opportunity

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for

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himself.

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To

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his

lowered:

credit,

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my

lowered:

better

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half

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had,

lowered:

but

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now

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that

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opportunity

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was

lowered:

calling

lowered:

him

lowered:

away.
“I

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understand,”

lowered:

I

lowered:

whispered.

lowered:

My

lowered:

ears

lowered:

lowered,

lowered:

and

lowered:

he

lowered:

put

lowered:

his

lowered:

paws

lowered:

on

lowered:

both

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sides

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of

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my

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muzzle

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and

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tilted

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it

lowered:

up

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so

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he

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could

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lick

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my

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nose. While

lowered:

I

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had

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a

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typical

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gray-and-yellow

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pelt,

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Theo’s

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was

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black,

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barely

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tinged

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with

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any

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white. His

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robust

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laugh

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and

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the

lowered:

fact

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that

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he

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was

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just

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a

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little

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taller

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than

lowered:

me

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had

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drawn

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me

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to

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him

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way

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back

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in

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undergrad.

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Since

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both

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wanted

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to

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attend

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school,

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we

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had

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something

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about,

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and

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I

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really

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did

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appreciate

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his

lowered:

drive

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to

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succeed.

lowered:

It

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matched

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my

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own.

lowered:

We’d

lowered:

been

lowered:

together

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ever

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since.
“Four

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months,

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and

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I

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can

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get

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what

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need

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to

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finish

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my

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degree.

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when

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I

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graduate,

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you

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should

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be

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finishing

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up

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your

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postdoc,

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and

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we’ll

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find

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a

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university

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that

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wants

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us

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both.”

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smiled

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then

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to

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reassure

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me,

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giving

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his tail a

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soft

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wag.
“I’m

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still not

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sure

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what

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going

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to

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do

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with a

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PhD

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in

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Computer

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Science

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and

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History,” I

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responded. “The

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history

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and

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evolution

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of

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programming

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language syntax

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is

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bit

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of

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an

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esoteric

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and

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there’s

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plenty

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of

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history

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majors.

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only

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a

lowered:

few

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biomechanical

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engineers

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with

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your

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specialty.”
“See,

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this

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is

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where

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you’re

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letting

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your

lowered:

depression

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get

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to

lowered:

you,

lowered:

and

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you’re

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falling

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back

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on

lowered:

that.

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still

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a

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good

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coder,

lowered:

so

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you

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could

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go

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into

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industry.

lowered:

Anyway,

lowered:

your

lowered:

field

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is

lowered:

still

lowered:

developing.”
Even

lowered:

with

lowered:

my

lowered:

worry,

lowered:

I

lowered:

could

lowered:

feel

lowered:

my

lowered:

tail

lowered:

thumping.

lowered:

It,

lowered:

at

lowered:

least,

lowered:

could

lowered:

be

lowered:

enthusiastic,

lowered:

even

lowered:

though

lowered:

I

lowered:

felt

lowered:

like

lowered:

a

lowered:

wreck.

lowered:

Damn,

lowered:

I

lowered:

hated

lowered:

how

lowered:

well

lowered:

he

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knew

lowered:

me.
“I

lowered:

know,”

lowered:

I

lowered:

said

lowered:

again.

lowered:

I

lowered:

took

lowered:

in

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a

lowered:

deep

lowered:

breath

lowered:

and blinked. “You’ll

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miss

lowered:

your

lowered:

flight

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if

lowered:

you

lowered:

stay

lowered:

any

lowered:

longer.”
Theo’s

lowered:

ears

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flicked

lowered:

back,

lowered:

and

lowered:

he

lowered:

nodded. “You

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be

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strong

lowered:

for

lowered:

me,

lowered:

okay?”
“I’ll

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do

lowered:

my

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best.”
Theo

lowered:

nodded

lowered:

and

lowered:

wanted

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to

lowered:

say

lowered:

something

lowered:

else,

lowered:

but

lowered:

his

lowered:

phone

lowered:

pinged. He

lowered:

picked

lowered:

it

lowered:

up

lowered:

to

lowered:

check

lowered:

it. “My

lowered:

ride

lowered:

is

lowered:

here.”
I

lowered:

got

lowered:

off

lowered:

the

lowered:

bed

lowered:

and then

lowered:

kissed

lowered:

him

lowered:

with

lowered:

everything

lowered:

I

lowered:

had,

lowered:

wrapping

lowered:

my

lowered:

arms

lowered:

around

lowered:

him.

lowered:

I

lowered:

squeezed

lowered:

so

lowered:

hard

lowered:

that

lowered:

I

lowered:

felt

lowered:

him

lowered:

gasp

lowered:

before

lowered:

I

lowered:

let

lowered:

him

lowered:

go. “You

lowered:

knock ’em

lowered:

dead!”
“I

lowered:

will,”

lowered:

he

lowered:

replied, and

lowered:

then

lowered:

he

lowered:

returned

lowered:

my

lowered:

kiss.

lowered:

He

lowered:

then

lowered:

reached

lowered:

for

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his

lowered:

backpack,

lowered:

and

lowered:

paws

lowered:

intertwined,

lowered:

I

lowered:

walked

lowered:

him

lowered:

downstairs

lowered:

and

lowered:

out

lowered:

of

lowered:

our

lowered:

apartment.

lowered:

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lowered:

held

lowered:

hands

lowered:

all

lowered:

the

lowered:

way

lowered:

to

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the

lowered:

car.

lowered:

If

lowered:

the

lowered:

ride share

lowered:

driver

lowered:

gave

lowered:

a

lowered:

shit,

lowered:

well,

lowered:

that

lowered:

was

lowered:

on

lowered:

him.

lowered:

Anyone

lowered:

doing

lowered:

rides at 4 a.m.

lowered:

probably

lowered:

saw

lowered:

a

lowered:

lot

lowered:

of

lowered:

weird

lowered:

shit.

lowered:

Two

lowered:

guys

lowered:

kissing

lowered:

in

lowered:

the

lowered:

dark

lowered:

in

lowered:

the

lowered:

freezing

lowered:

cold of

lowered:

January

lowered:

and

lowered:

then

lowered:

separating

lowered:

as

lowered:

one of

lowered:

them

lowered:

got

lowered:

in

lowered:

the

lowered:

car?

lowered:

That

lowered:

wasn’t

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weird

lowered:

at

lowered:

all.
I

lowered:

watched

lowered:

as

lowered:

Theo’s

lowered:

car

lowered:

drove

lowered:

down

lowered:

the

lowered:

street,

lowered:

made a

lowered:

left,

lowered:

and

lowered:

was

lowered:

gone.

lowered:

And

lowered:

then

lowered:

I

lowered:

went

lowered:

back

lowered:

to

lowered:

the

lowered:

apartment,

lowered:

surrounded

lowered:

by

lowered:

his

lowered:

scent,

lowered:

and

lowered:

waited.
Now,

lowered:

nine

lowered:

months

lowered:

later,

lowered:

Theo’s

lowered:

still

lowered:

gone.

lowered:

He

lowered:

scent

lowered:

is

lowered:

completely

lowered:

fucking

lowered:

gone

lowered:

from

lowered:

the

lowered:

apartment.

lowered:

One semester

lowered:

became

lowered:

two,

lowered:

and

lowered:

then

lowered:

they

lowered:

still

lowered:

wanted

lowered:

him

lowered:

there?

lowered:

Why

lowered:

did

lowered:

I

lowered:

think

lowered:

anything

lowered:

about

lowered:

getting

lowered:

a

lowered:

PhD

lowered:

would

lowered:

be

lowered:

easy and

lowered:

timely?

lowered:

Hell,

lowered:

I

lowered:

knew

lowered:

mine

lowered:

took

lowered:

an

lowered:

extra

lowered:

year

lowered:

just

lowered:

because

lowered:

my

lowered:

advisor

lowered:

decided it

lowered:

should.

lowered:

At

lowered:

least

lowered:

he’s

lowered:

letting

lowered:

me

lowered:

eke

lowered:

out

lowered:

another

lowered:

year

lowered:

on

lowered:

my

lowered:

postdoc,

lowered:

but

lowered:

that

lowered:

hadn’t

lowered:

been

lowered:

easy

lowered:

to

lowered:

negotiate,

lowered:

either.
Climbing

lowered:

those

lowered:

stairs

lowered:

to

lowered:

my

lowered:

fourth-floor

lowered:

apartment—no,

lowered:

our

lowered:

fourth-floor

lowered:

apartment—for

lowered:

the

lowered:

hundredth-plus-something

lowered:

time

lowered:

alone

lowered:

is

lowered:

getting

lowered:

old.

lowered:

It

lowered:

isn’t

lowered:

only the

lowered:

summer

lowered:

heat

lowered:

that is

lowered:

taking

lowered:

a

lowered:

toll

lowered:

on

lowered:

me.

lowered:

I’ve

lowered:

lost

lowered:

weight,

lowered:

and

lowered:

it

lowered:

isn’t

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because

lowered:

I am

lowered:

getting

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more

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exercise;

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I

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just

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haven’t

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eating

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much.
I

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notice

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a

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small

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slip

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on

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my

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door

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letting

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me

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know

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the

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office

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has

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a

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package

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for

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me.

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have

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to

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get

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it

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tomorrow,

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since

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they are

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already

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closed.

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it

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was

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another

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care

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package

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from

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my

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mother.

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She’s started

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sending

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them

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like

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was

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a

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freshman

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again,

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although

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I

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really

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wish

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she’d

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stop

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sending me

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that

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jerky.

lowered:

I

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loved

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it,

lowered:

but

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I

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still

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have

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two

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untouched

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bags

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sitting

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in

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the

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pantry.
I’m

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in

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the

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middle

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of

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unlocking

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the

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front

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door when

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my

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neighbor

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pokes

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her

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head

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out. “Fel?”
My

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ear

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flicks

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toward

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her

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as

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I

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hear

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my

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nickname, and

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then

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I

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turn

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toward

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the

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doe. “Hey

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Shelia.”
“Hey,

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so

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Theo

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called.

lowered:

He

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told

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me

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to

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get

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your

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package

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for

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you,”

lowered:

she

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says,

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holding

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up

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a

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small

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cardboard

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cube.
“He

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did?”
“Yeah,”

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she

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says,

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handing

lowered:

it

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to

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me. “He

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said

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you’d

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want

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it

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now.”
I

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look

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at

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the

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box

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with

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suspicion

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as

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I

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accept it.

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The

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return

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label

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has

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my

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address

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tell

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it

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was

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shipped

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from

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out

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of

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town. “Thanks,”

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I

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say,

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tucking

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the

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box

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under

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an

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arm.
“Yeah,

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no

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problem.

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Hey,

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if

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you

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want to

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do

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dinner

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sometime

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this

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weekend,

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let

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me

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know,

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okay?”

lowered:

she

lowered:

offers.
“Okay,”

lowered:

I

lowered:

say,

lowered:

realizing

lowered:

she

lowered:

probably

lowered:

talked

lowered:

to

lowered:

Theo

lowered:

about

lowered:

more

lowered:

than

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the

lowered:

package.

lowered:

They

lowered:

always

lowered:

did

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like

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chatting

lowered:

when

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he

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was

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here.
“Anyway,

lowered:

you

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look

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beat,

lowered:

and

lowered:

it’s

lowered:

already

lowered:

getting

lowered:

late,

lowered:

so

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get

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some

lowered:

rest.

lowered:

Hopefully

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I’ll

lowered:

hear

lowered:

from

lowered:

you

lowered:

tomorrow.”
I

lowered:

nod. “Thanks,

lowered:

let

lowered:

me

lowered:

see

lowered:

how

lowered:

I

lowered:

feel,”

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I

lowered:

respond,

lowered:

knowing

lowered:

I

lowered:

just

lowered:

don’t

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have

lowered:

the

lowered:

interest

lowered:

or

lowered:

energy.

lowered:

She’s

lowered:

nice,

lowered:

but

lowered:

she’s

lowered:

not

lowered:

Theo.

lowered:

I

lowered:

have

lowered:

reading

lowered:

to

lowered:

catch

lowered:

up

lowered:

on,

lowered:

anyway.
She

lowered:

doesn’t

lowered:

say

lowered:

anything

lowered:

but

lowered:

lets me

lowered:

walk

lowered:

into

lowered:

the

lowered:

apartment

lowered:

and

lowered:

close

lowered:

the

lowered:

door

lowered:

after

lowered:

I

lowered:

grab

lowered:

the

lowered:

slip.

lowered:

I

lowered:

put

lowered:

the

lowered:

package

lowered:

down

lowered:

on

lowered:

the

lowered:

counter

lowered:

and

lowered:

toss

lowered:

the

lowered:

slip

lowered:

into

lowered:

the

lowered:

trash.

lowered:

Putting

lowered:

my

lowered:

work

lowered:

bag

lowered:

down

lowered:

by

lowered:

my

lowered:

computer

lowered:

in

lowered:

the

lowered:

spare

lowered:

bedroom,

lowered:

I

lowered:

glance at

lowered:

the

lowered:

other

lowered:

desk

lowered:

in

lowered:

the

lowered:

room,

lowered:

the

lowered:

one

lowered:

that has

lowered:

been

lowered:

vacant

lowered:

for

lowered:

nine

lowered:

months.

lowered:

I

lowered:

used

lowered:

to

lowered:

be

lowered:

able

lowered:

to

lowered:

tell

lowered:

when

lowered:

Theo

lowered:

was

lowered:

concentrating

lowered:

from

lowered:

across

lowered:

the

lowered:

room

lowered:

due to

lowered:

the

lowered:

slow

lowered:

wag

lowered:

of

lowered:

his

lowered:

tail, with

lowered:

the

lowered:

way

lowered:

it

lowered:

stuck

lowered:

out

lowered:

and

lowered:

brushed

lowered:

against

lowered:

the

lowered:

back

lowered:

of

lowered:

his

lowered:

chair.

lowered:

The

lowered:

feeling

lowered:

of

lowered:

him

lowered:

there

lowered:

with

lowered:

me

lowered:

always

lowered:

made

lowered:

the

lowered:

long

lowered:

hours

lowered:

of

lowered:

working

lowered:

worth

lowered:

it,

lowered:

but

lowered:

I

lowered:

haven’t

lowered:

heard

lowered:

that

lowered:

sound

lowered:

in

lowered:

so

lowered:

long.
The

lowered:

ringing

lowered:

of

lowered:

my

lowered:

phone

lowered:

startles

lowered:

me,

lowered:

and

lowered:

I

lowered:

pull

lowered:

it

lowered:

from

lowered:

my

lowered:

pocket.

lowered:

It’s Theo.
“Hey,”

lowered:

I

lowered:

say. “I

lowered:

got

lowered:

your

lowered:

package.”
“I

lowered:

know,

lowered:

Shelia

lowered:

told

lowered:

me.”
My

lowered:

ears

lowered:

splay

lowered:

at

lowered:

that. “Do

lowered:

you

lowered:

have

lowered:

her

lowered:

spying

lowered:

on

lowered:

me

lowered:

now?”
There’s

lowered:

a

lowered:

soft

lowered:

laugh. “I

lowered:

just

lowered:

wanted

lowered:

to

lowered:

make

lowered:

sure

lowered:

you

lowered:

got

lowered:

the

lowered:

package

lowered:

before

lowered:

the

lowered:

three-day

lowered:

weekend.

lowered:

The

lowered:

office

lowered:

will

lowered:

be

lowered:

closed

lowered:

till

lowered:

Tuesday.”
“Oh,

lowered:

you’re

lowered:

right.”

lowered:

I

lowered:

forgot

lowered:

that

lowered:

Labor

lowered:

Day

lowered:

is

lowered:

Monday.

lowered:

Hell,

lowered:

it

lowered:

barely

lowered:

registers

lowered:

to

lowered:

me

lowered:

that

lowered:

today

lowered:

is

lowered:

Friday. “Time

lowered:

flies

lowered:

when

lowered:

you’re

lowered:

busy.”
He gives

lowered:

a

lowered:

soft

lowered:

woof. “Ain’t

lowered:

that

lowered:

the

lowered:

truth.”
At

lowered:

least

lowered:

with

lowered:

him

lowered:

on

lowered:

the

lowered:

phone,

lowered:

I

lowered:

can

lowered:

cherish

lowered:

him

lowered:

for

lowered:

a

lowered:

bit,

lowered:

before

lowered:

I

lowered:

have

lowered:

to

lowered:

crawl

lowered:

into

lowered:

the

lowered:

bed

lowered:

alone.

lowered:

I

lowered:

should

lowered:

eat

lowered:

something,

lowered:

but

lowered:

somehow

lowered:

dinner

lowered:

just

lowered:

doesn’t

lowered:

seem

lowered:

appetizing

lowered:

right

lowered:

now. “How

lowered:

are

lowered:

things

lowered:

going?”

lowered:

I

lowered:

ask,

lowered:

wandering

lowered:

into

lowered:

the

lowered:

living

lowered:

room.
There

lowered:

is

lowered:

a

lowered:

sigh

lowered:

on

lowered:

the

lowered:

other

lowered:

end

lowered:

of

lowered:

the

lowered:

line. “They

lowered:

want

lowered:

me

lowered:

to

lowered:

stay

lowered:

for

lowered:

another

lowered:

three

lowered:

months.”
I

lowered:

freeze. “Three

lowered:

more

lowered:

months?”
“Yeah,

lowered:

and

lowered:

it’s

lowered:

hot

lowered:

garbage.

lowered:

I

lowered:

let

lowered:

them

lowered:

talk to

lowered:

me

lowered:

into

lowered:

the

lowered:

summer,

lowered:

and

lowered:

then

lowered:

the

lowered:

first

lowered:

month of

lowered:

the

lowered:

fall semester,

lowered:

but

lowered:

now

lowered:

they

lowered:

want

lowered:

me

lowered:

stay

lowered:

all

lowered:

the

lowered:

way

lowered:

till

lowered:

December?

lowered:

I

lowered:

love

lowered:

the lab,

lowered:

but I

lowered:

can’t

lowered:

do

lowered:

it.”
I

lowered:

can

lowered:

feel

lowered:

my

lowered:

chest

lowered:

tightening. “Honey,

lowered:

what

lowered:

are

lowered:

you

lowered:

going to

lowered:

do?”
Theo

lowered:

was

lowered:

silent

lowered:

for

lowered:

a

lowered:

moment. “I’m

lowered:

thinking

lowered:

of

lowered:

cashing

lowered:

out

lowered:

with

lowered:

a

lowered:

master’s

lowered:

degree

lowered:

and

lowered:

calling

lowered:

it

lowered:

over.”
“Theo…

lowered:

you’re

lowered:

six

lowered:

years

lowered:

in,”

lowered:

I

lowered:

say.

lowered:

Even in

lowered:

my

lowered:

most

lowered:

depressed

lowered:

moments,

lowered:

the

lowered:

blunt

lowered:

reality

lowered:

of

lowered:

getting

lowered:

a

lowered:

PhD

lowered:

still

lowered:

sets

lowered:

in.

lowered:

These

lowered:

things

lowered:

always

lowered:

take

lowered:

longer

lowered:

to

lowered:

earn

lowered:

than

lowered:

they

lowered:

tell

lowered:

you

lowered:

it will.
“Yeah,

lowered:

I

lowered:

am. It’s

lowered:

supposed

lowered:

to

lowered:

be

lowered:

a

lowered:

five-year

lowered:

program,

lowered:

but

lowered:

at

lowered:

this

lowered:

rate

lowered:

it’s

lowered:

looking

lowered:

like

lowered:

it’ll

lowered:

be

lowered:

at

lowered:

least

lowered:

another

lowered:

year

lowered:

on

lowered:

top

lowered:

of

lowered:

the

lowered:

six.”
I

lowered:

somehow

lowered:

manage

lowered:

to

lowered:

find

lowered:

myself

lowered:

on

lowered:

the

lowered:

couch. “Theo…

lowered:

you…”

lowered:

God,

lowered:

I

lowered:

don’t

lowered:

want

lowered:

to

lowered:

do

lowered:

this.
“Need

lowered:

to

lowered:

stay?”
I

lowered:

give

lowered:

a

lowered:

soft

lowered:

woof

lowered:

in

lowered:

response.
He

lowered:

takes

lowered:

a

lowered:

deep

lowered:

breath. “For

lowered:

what,

lowered:

Fel,

lowered:

so

lowered:

my

lowered:

advisor

lowered:

can

lowered:

keep

lowered:

jerking

lowered:

me

lowered:

around?”
“You

lowered:

need

lowered:

your

lowered:

degree.”
He

lowered:

sighs. “Fel,

lowered:

how

lowered:

long

lowered:

has

lowered:

it

lowered:

been

lowered:

since

lowered:

you’ve

lowered:

seen

lowered:

me?”
“Seven

lowered:

months.”
“And

lowered:

that

lowered:

was

lowered:

for

lowered:

barely

lowered:

more

lowered:

than

lowered:

a

lowered:

weekend.

lowered:

Four

lowered:

fucking

lowered:

days

lowered:

in

lowered:

seven

lowered:

months!”

lowered:

he

lowered:

growled into

lowered:

the

lowered:

phone.
“Theo…”
“Felix… it’s 9

lowered:

p.m.

lowered:

and

lowered:

you’re

lowered:

just

lowered:

getting

lowered:

home.

lowered:

You

lowered:

can’t

lowered:

tell

lowered:

me

lowered:

this

lowered:

is

lowered:

easy

lowered:

for

lowered:

you,

lowered:

either.”
My

lowered:

tail

lowered:

curls

lowered:

defensively,

lowered:

even

lowered:

though

lowered:

he

lowered:

can’t

lowered:

see

lowered:

it. “I

lowered:

was

lowered:

working.”
“Were

lowered:

you?”

lowered:

he

lowered:

asks.
Damn,

lowered:

I

lowered:

hate

lowered:

that

lowered:

he

lowered:

can

lowered:

still

lowered:

read

lowered:

me

lowered:

so

lowered:

well. “I

lowered:

was

lowered:

trying

lowered:

to.

lowered:

I

lowered:

didn’t

lowered:

get

lowered:

much

lowered:

done.”
Theo sighs

lowered:

again. “Fel,

lowered:

this

lowered:

isn’t

lowered:

working.

lowered:

Not

lowered:

us

lowered:

I

lowered:

mean,

lowered:

this

lowered:

arrangement.”
I

lowered:

pick

lowered:

at

lowered:

the

lowered:

tip

lowered:

of

lowered:

my tail with a

lowered:

claw. “The

lowered:

life

lowered:

of

lowered:

an

lowered:

academic.

lowered:

You

lowered:

go

lowered:

where

lowered:

the

lowered:

work

lowered:

is, and

lowered:

hopefully

lowered:

that’s someplace

lowered:

you

lowered:

like.”
“Look,

lowered:

I’m

lowered:

going

lowered:

to

lowered:

finish

lowered:

the

lowered:

month

lowered:

out,

lowered:

and

lowered:

come

lowered:

home

lowered:

as

lowered:

planned.

lowered:

If

lowered:

that

lowered:

doesn’t

lowered:

work

lowered:

for

lowered:

them

lowered:

and

lowered:

my

lowered:

advisor

lowered:

gives

lowered:

me

lowered:

shit,

lowered:

I’ll

lowered:

see

lowered:

if

lowered:

someone

lowered:

else

lowered:

in

lowered:

the

lowered:

department

lowered:

will

lowered:

take

lowered:

me.

lowered:

If

lowered:

no

lowered:

one

lowered:

will,

lowered:

I’m

lowered:

going

lowered:

to

lowered:

bounce.”
“Theo,

lowered:

I

lowered:

can

lowered:

hold

lowered:

on

lowered:

a

lowered:

little

lowered:

longer,”

lowered:

I

lowered:

offer. “It’s

lowered:

rough,

lowered:

but

lowered:

I

lowered:

can

lowered:

do

lowered:

this.”
“You

lowered:

shouldn’t

lowered:

have

lowered:

to.

lowered:

Anyway,

lowered:

did

lowered:

you

lowered:

open

lowered:

the

lowered:

package?”
“Uh,

lowered:

no.”
“Go

lowered:

open

lowered:

the

lowered:

package

lowered:

first

lowered:

and

lowered:

tell

lowered:

me

lowered:

then

lowered:

that

lowered:

you

lowered:

can

lowered:

wait

lowered:

three

lowered:

more

lowered:

months

lowered:

for

lowered:

me

lowered:

to

lowered:

come

lowered:

home.”
I

lowered:

frown and

lowered:

get

lowered:

up

lowered:

to

lowered:

get

lowered:

the

lowered:

box. “I

lowered:

don’t

lowered:

understand.”
“You

lowered:

will

lowered:

in

lowered:

a

lowered:

second,”

lowered:

he

lowered:

says as

lowered:

I

lowered:

pick

lowered:

up

lowered:

the

lowered:

box

lowered:

and

lowered:

attempt

lowered:

to

lowered:

slip

lowered:

a

lowered:

claw

lowered:

under

lowered:

the

lowered:

tape

lowered:

to

lowered:

tug

lowered:

at

lowered:

it,

lowered:

but

lowered:

to

lowered:

no

lowered:

avail.
“You

lowered:

can

lowered:

use

lowered:

scissors,

lowered:

you

lowered:

know!”

lowered:

he

lowered:

laughs,

lowered:

obviously

lowered:

realizing

lowered:

what

lowered:

I’m

lowered:

doing

lowered:

from

lowered:

the

lowered:

sounds

lowered:

of

lowered:

me

lowered:

struggling.
“Whatever.

lowered:

I

lowered:

need

lowered:

to

lowered:

trim

lowered:

my

lowered:

claws, so

lowered:

they’re

lowered:

a

lowered:

little

lowered:

sharper

lowered:

than

lowered:

normal,”

lowered:

I

lowered:

respond,

lowered:

finally

lowered:

getting

lowered:

one

lowered:

under

lowered:

the

lowered:

tape and

lowered:

using

lowered:

it to slice the

lowered:

box

lowered:

open.

lowered:

I

lowered:

flip

lowered:

open

lowered:

the

lowered:

cube

lowered:

and

lowered:

am

lowered:

greeted

lowered:

with

lowered:

a

lowered:

ziplock

lowered:

bag

lowered:

full

lowered:

of

lowered:

black

lowered:

fur. “What

lowered:

the…

lowered:

Is

lowered:

this

lowered:

your

lowered:

shed

lowered:

fur?”
“Yeah.”
I

lowered:

pull

lowered:

out

lowered:

the

lowered:

bag

lowered:

and

lowered:

closely

lowered:

examine

lowered:

the

lowered:

contents, letting

lowered:

the

lowered:

box

lowered:

drop

lowered:

to

lowered:

the

lowered:

floor. “Why

lowered:

did

lowered:

you—”
I

lowered:

pop

lowered:

it

lowered:

open,

lowered:

and

lowered:

then

lowered:

the

lowered:

scent

lowered:

hits

lowered:

me.

lowered:

His

lowered:

scent,

lowered:

warm

lowered:

and

lowered:

comforting.

lowered:

His

lowered:

scent

lowered:

enveloping

lowered:

me

lowered:

as

lowered:

we

lowered:

lay

lowered:

on

lowered:

the

lowered:

bed

lowered:

together.

lowered:

His

lowered:

scent

lowered:

as

lowered:

he

lowered:

does

lowered:

his

lowered:

schoolwork.

lowered:

The

lowered:

thing

lowered:

that’s

lowered:

been

lowered:

missing

lowered:

from

lowered:

my

lowered:

life.

lowered:

Everything

lowered:

I’ve

lowered:

dreamed

lowered:

of,

lowered:

and

lowered:

cried

lowered:

over,

lowered:

for

months:

months:

it’s all right

months:

here

months:

in

months:

this

months:

bag.
“Felix?”
My

months:

mind

months:

is

months:

racing. “I…

months:

forgot

months:

how

months:

strong

months:

it

months:

was.”
Theo gives a

months:

soft,

months:

affectionate

months:

whine. “Scent

months:

memory

months:

is

months:

a

months:

powerful

months:

thing.

months:

We

months:

forget

months:

about

months:

it

months:

sometimes, but

months:

the

months:

last

months:

time

months:

I gave myself

months:

a

months:

good

months:

brushing,

months:

I

months:

was

months:

thinking

months:

about

months:

how

months:

you

months:

used

months:

to

months:

help

months:

me

months:

do

months:

that,

months:

and

months:

how

months:

much

months:

I’ve

months:

missed

months:

you.

months:

I

months:

made

months:

up

months:

my

months:

mind

months:

then,

months:

and

months:

I

months:

decided

months:

to

months:

collect

months:

a

months:

good

months:

chunk

months:

of

months:

my

months:

shed

months:

fur

months:

and

months:

put

months:

it

months:

into

months:

the

months:

bag

months:

for

months:

you.”
I

months:

sit

months:

back

months:

down

months:

on

months:

the

months:

couch,

months:

processing

months:

all

months:

the

months:

memories

months:

the scent

months:

brings

months:

to

months:

me.

months:

Us

months:

kissing. Us

months:

holding

months:

hands.

months:

Dinner,

months:

movies,

months:

lovemaking,

months:

everything

months:

we

months:

did

months:

together. “It’s

months:

weird

months:

how

months:

the

months:

mind

months:

works,”

months:

I

months:

finally

months:

say.
He

months:

sighs. “I

months:

miss

months:

you

months:

so

months:

much.

months:

I

months:

can

months:

barely

months:

remember

months:

what

months:

you

months:

smell

months:

like.

months:

Now

months:

do

months:

you

months:

see

months:

why

months:

I

months:

need

months:

to

months:

come

months:

home?”
Normally

months:

we’re

months:

always

months:

trying

months:

to

months:

get

months:

shed

months:

fur

months:

off the furniture

months:

or our clothes to

months:

at

months:

least

months:

look

months:

presentable,

months:

but

months:

here

months:

I

months:

am,

months:

a bag

months:

of

months:

his

months:

shed fur in my paws, and I realize how

months:

it’s

months:

not

months:

just

months:

his

months:

scent

months:

that’s

months:

missing

months:

from

months:

this

months:

apartment,

months:

but

months:

his

months:

black

months:

fur

months:

on

months:

my

months:

sheets

months:

or

months:

my

months:

shorts.

months:

I

months:

can’t

months:

remember

months:

the

months:

last

months:

time the

months:

lint

months:

roller

months:

pulled

months:

up

months:

anything

months:

but

months:

gray

months:

and

months:

yellow

months:

fur.
“Yeah,

months:

yeah,

months:

I

months:

do,

months:

but

months:

I

months:

can’t

months:

let

months:

you

months:

just

months:

throw

months:

in

months:

the

months:

towel

months:

after

months:

you

months:

worked

months:

so

months:

hard.

months:

I

months:

can

months:

send

months:

you

months:

some of

months:

my

months:

own

months:

fur,

months:

after

months:

I

months:

brush

months:

tomorrow.”
I

months:

hear

months:

his

months:

voice

months:

hitch. “I’d

months:

like

months:

that,

months:

but

months:

no.

months:

That

months:

would

months:

only

months:

encourage

months:

me

months:

to

months:

stick

months:

it

months:

out.”
“Yes,

months:

but

months:

your

months:

research,

months:

and

months:

the

months:

project!”
“I’ve

months:

got

months:

a

months:

month.

months:

And

months:

I’m

months:

going

months:

to

months:

give

months:

it

months:

my

months:

all,

months:

but

months:

I

months:

can

months:

only

months:

do

months:

what

months:

I

months:

can

months:

do.”
My tail

months:

thumps,

months:

betraying

months:

my

months:

excitement

months:

that

months:

he is

months:

coming

months:

home

months:

soon,

months:

but

months:

I

months:

push

months:

the

months:

rational

months:

part

months:

of

months:

my

months:

mind

months:

forward. “Theo,

months:

I

months:

can

months:

make

months:

it

months:

to

months:

December.”
“Fel, I’m…not

months:

sure

months:

I

months:

can.”
I

months:

feel

months:

those

months:

words

months:

in

months:

my

months:

soul.

months:

The

months:

isolation

months:

hasn’t

months:

just

months:

been

months:

mine

months:

alone.

months:

I

months:

think

months:

of

months:

where

months:

he’s

months:

staying

now:

now:

he

now:

has

now:

his

now:

own

now:

room,

now:

his

now:

own

now:

bathroom,

now:

but

now:

beyond

now:

that,

now:

the

now:

space

now:

is

now:

fairly

now:

basic.

now:

We’d

now:

tried

now:

to

now:

sleep

now:

together

now:

on

now:

the

now:

twin

now:

bed

now:

in

now:

the

now:

room,

now:

but

now:

there

now:

wasn’t

now:

space

now:

for

now:

both

now:

of

now:

us

now:

and

now:

he

now:

ended

now:

up

now:

sleeping

now:

on

now:

the

now:

floor.

now:

I’ve

now:

had

now:

the

now:

luxury

now:

of

now:

at

now:

least

now:

still

now:

being

now:

in

now:

what

now:

was

now:

once

now:

our

now:

home

now:

together.

now:

He’s

now:

had

now:

to

now:

navigate

now:

a

now:

new

now:

city

now:

on

now:

his

now:

own

now:

without

now:

anyone to

now:

share

now:

the

now:

experiences

now:

with.
“I

now:

understand,”

now:

I

now:

say. “I

now:

just

now:

hope

now:

your

now:

advisor

now:

does

now:

too.”
He

now:

snorts

now:

into

now:

the

now:

phone. “If

now:

not,

now:

they

now:

can

now:

talk

now:

to

now:

the

now:

dean

now:

about

now:

how

now:

they

now:

lost

now:

yet

now:

another

now:

grad

now:

student.

now:

Anyway,

now:

let’s

now:

see

now:

how

now:

the

now:

month

now:

goes

now:

before

now:

I

now:

get

now:

into

now:

doom-and-gloom

now:

mode.”
“Yeah…”

now:

I

now:

sniff

now:

at

now:

the

now:

bag

now:

of

now:

fur

now:

again. “I

now:

miss

now:

you

now:

a

now:

lot,

now:

Theo.”
“Soon,

now:

my

now:

wolf,

now:

I

now:

will

now:

be

now:

back

now:

in

now:

your

now:

arms,

now:

and

now:

you

now:

won’t

now:

have

now:

to

now:

dump

now:

fur

now:

on

now:

the

now:

couch.”
My

now:

ears

now:

go

now:

up. “What

now:

do

now:

you

now:

think

now:

I’m

now:

going

now:

to

now:

do

now:

with

now:

this,

now:

roll

now:

in

now:

it?”

now:

I

now:

ask,

now:

and

now:

this

now:

time,

now:

my

now:

tone

now:

feels

now:

lighter,

now:

almost

now:

as

now:

if

now:

a

now:

weight

now:

has

now:

been

now:

lifted

now:

from

now:

me.
He

now:

laughs,

now:

and

now:

suddenly

now:

I’m

now:

reminded

now:

of

now:

the

now:

handsome

now:

wolf

now:

I

now:

met

now:

back

now:

in

now:

undergrad

now:

who

now:

was

now:

only

now:

then

now:

starting

now:

to

now:

take

now:

this

now:

college

now:

thing

now:

seriously. “That’s

now:

what

now:

I’d

now:

do.”



This

now:

was “The

now:

Package”

now:

by

now:

NightEyes

now:

DaySpring,

now:

read

now:

for you

now:

by

now:

Rob MacWolf,

now:

Werewolf

now:

Hitchhiker.

now:

You

now:

can

now:

find

now:

more

now:

stories

now:

on

now:

the

now:

web

now:

at thevoice.dog,

now:

or

now:

find

now:

the

now:

show

now:

wherever

now:

you

now:

get

now:

your

now:

podcasts.

now:

Happy

now:

Pride,

now:

and

now:

Thank

now:

you

now:

for

now:

listening

now:

to

now:

The

now:

Voice

now:

of

now:

Dog.

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About the Podcast

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The Voice of Dog
Furry stories to warm the ol' cockles, read by Rob MacWolf and guests. If you have a story that would suit the show, you can get in touch with @VoiceOfDog@meow.social on Mastodon, @voiceofdog.bsky.social on Blue Sky, or @Theodwulf on Telegram.

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