“There’s a girl with a crown and a scepter, who’s on WLSD...”

Kate’s singing sounded odd to her. Of course, because she seemed to be in some strange abyss, but also because there were no sighs of annoyance or people telling her to shut up to accompany it.

“And she says that the scene isn’t what it’s been, and she’s thinking of going home.”

She was playing with the sleeve of a red t-shirt, pulling slowly and methodically at the red thread weaved into the end of it. It was a long-sleeved t-shirt and the tag said it was 100% cotton. She’d chosen it because she thought that of all the items of clothing she was sitting on, this one would probably look the worst on her.

“That it’s old and it’s totally over now, and it’s old and it’s over, it’s over now...”

She looked terrible in red.

“And it’s over, it’s over, it’s over now, I can see myself..."

The thread was getting longer and longer, but no matter how long it got, it did little to ease her boredom. She’d tried sleeping for a little while, and it was actually very enjoyable. The laundry pile was very comfortable and her surroundings were nice and peaceful. But one can only sleep for so long when one is getting no exercise...and now sleeping was the very last thing she thought she could do.

“At the end of the tour, when the road disappears...”

She was getting hungry, too...she still wanted some chocolate cake, and the odds of her getting some were just getting lower and lower. Ashika-san had taken her away, just like Sukita-san…and the last time Sukita-san had been taken away, he was starved and he didn’t come back for weeks.

“If there’s anymore people around, when the tour runs aground...”

That was Miko-san, of course, that took him that time. She didn’t have anything to worry about. But, she couldn’t help but wonder what Ashika-san’s intentions were. She had been acting so mean…and that lollipop had just been a big, mean trick.

“And if you’re still around, then we’ll meet at the end of the tour.”

Why would anyone want to kidnap her? After all, it wasn’t like anyone cared. She guessed Gabi-chan would probably care, though, and Zei, too. They acted like they really cared about her. Sometimes Gabi-chan even scared her with it.

“Never to part since the day we met, out on interstate 91...”

He was so incredibly nice to her, and he put up with all of her crap like he enjoyed it or something. She didn’t even know what he saw in her. She knew she wasn’t anything special. It wasn’t like she had really low self-esteem or anything, she just didn’t think there was anything all that important about her. Maybe people thought she was kind of cute sometimes...

“I was bent metal, you were a flaming wreck, when we kissed at the overpass.”

She really missed Gabi-chan, now, though. She’d gone longer than this without seeing him, before, but this was different. This time there was no one to talk to. And she didn’t know where she was. And she didn’t know what was going on or what was going to happen. And she was, just now, starting to feel a little bit afraid for the first time, as she pulled even harder on the thread that was starting to get stuck.

“I was sailing along with the people, driving themselves to distraction inside me...”

She’d always kind of liked being alone, and thought that if anything like this ever happened to her, she wouldn’t mind.

“Then came a knock at the door, which was odd, and the picture abruptly changed.”

It was much easier to think that, though, when it wasn’t actually happening to you. She didn’t know how long she was going to be here. She didn’t even know if she was ever going back.

“At the end of the tour, when the road disappears...”

How long had she been here? She checked her watch. It must have been about a day. It was kind of funny that she wasn’t hungrier than she was. It was also kind of funny that she was getting so lonely already after only a day. She wanted to go back now, and see minna. It wasn’t always the nicest place to be, but she loved her friends there...

“If there’s anymore people around, when the tour runs aground...”

Her voice was starting to sound sort of wavery. What was going to happen? Was she going to die here?

“And if you’re still around, then we’ll meet at the end of the tour.”

What a crazy thing to think. Of course she wasn’t going to die here. It had only been a day, and minna wouldn’t let her die. Why was it so scary, then? Being all alone in a big, pretty laundry pile. She shouldn’t mind...she really shouldn’t mind...

“The engagements are booked through the end of the world, so we’ll meet at the end of the tour.”

And she shouldn’t be so scared. Her voice was getting worse and worse. Why did she have to try not to cry? There was nothing to cry about.

“This was the vehicle, these were the people...”

Forget that. There were tears falling out of her eyes already, and her voice had just totally gone to hell. What was the point in trying not to cry anyway? She cried all the time around people, why try not to cry when there was no one around?

“You opened the door and expelled all the people.”

The thread on the shirt was really starting to annoy her and she could barely even see it anymore, so she threw the shirt away from her, angrily. Stupid red shirt…who wears red shirts, anyway?

“This was the vehicle, these were the people...”

Having still nothing better to do, she lay back on the laundry pile, stretching her legs out and wincing at the feeling in her spine. She’d been in the same position for hours, and now she was all stiff...with no lovies to give her a little back rub.

“You opened the door and expelled all the people.”

It might have irritated her, the way her tears slipped out of the corners of her eyes and rolled down her temples to get little wet splotches on her hair and ears, but she was almost enjoying the feeling. The whole weeping helplessly thing was really a good way to pass the time, when one ran out of thread to pull. “This was the vehicle, these were the people...”

She at least wished that Gabi-chan or someone could be here with her. That would make the whole thing a lot easier to take.

“You let them go.”

She liked being alone, of course. To just be all by herself to sit and think and do whatever she wanted without anyone around. She even talked to herself sometimes, or to people that were dead or not there…or not existent. But, when she was really bored, it always helped a whole bunch to have someone to talk to.

“At the end of the tour, when the road disappears...”

If there were someone here for her to talk to, this would probably be more like a fun adventure. Kinda like being trapped in the basement during a tornado with someone. They could just sit there and talk and talk and talk...it would be fun.

“If there’s anymore people around, when the tour runs aground...”

If there was a volleyball here, she could be like Tom Hanks in that movie. Have a volleyball friend...that would be fun, too. In a way...

“And if you’re still around, then we’ll meet at the end of the tour.”

It was sort of funny, the things she was thinking of. She must be a real nut.

“The engagements are booked through the end of the world...”

It didn’t stop her from crying, though. She guessed that, the way things were going, she’d be crying for a while yet. She gave a shaky sigh in between lines. What a boring laundry pile... She rolled onto her side, and closed her eyes, tears still slipping out. She was suddenly very tired again.

“So we’ll meet at the end of the tour...”

Minna would save her from the scary Ashika-san, soon. There was nothing to worry about.

“And we’re never gonna tour again...”

She’d be back with Gabi-chan and Zei and minna pretty soon. But, for now, she was all out of things to think about or sing. So, in satisfied mind and...less satisfied stomach, she drifted off into another session of blissful sleep. “No, we’re never gonna tour again.”

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