text: > look around
  Narthex (Hanon Ondricek)
  The narthex extends the width of the church. Despite the
  gloominess, it's not that unwelcoming except for the eye-watering pattern of industrial linoleum floor tiles. They checkerboard underfoot in grayish green and grayish white squares with dark speckles, stopping only at the margin marked by a wall border at waist level.
  
  leads out of the building.
  
  Two side by side openings lead in to restrooms.
  
  Shattered glass and broken pieces of picture frames cover the floor of the narthex around the edges near the walls.
  
  A noose of thick nylon boat-rope hangs down through the opening in the ceiling in front of the ladder.
  
  > look at the noose
  That's--a noose. That--wasn't there before, was it?
  
  > get the NOOSE
  This noose doesn't belong here. It wasn't here before. Someone is playing a trick on you, surely. You climb three rungs up the ladder for a closer look.
  
  > WEAR NOOSE
  The noose slips easily over your head and tightens around your neck before you can--your feet slip from the rungs...
  before you can--your feet slip from the rungs...He had been waiting a really long time. Maybe she chickened out... And who could
  blame her? Brandon had been hearing the voices for weeks now, she'd only just started. The rope itched and he'd suffered through a total of fourteen horrible church-friendly music selections by DJ
  Deacon JesusLove echoing from the gymasium already. I should just
  do it. Get the process started... But he hadn't explained the
  part about the glyph! He would have to trust she'd follow through with the plan and he hadn't thought to--
  
  There she was! Jessica emerged from the men's restroom resplendent in her glittery black dress, looking like a new and completely different beautiful person. Brandon knew not to let his thoughts idle long, lest one of them take control and speak for him...
  
  > EXAMINE JESSICA
  
  "Oh, my God, you look amazing, Jessica!" The dress was too
  short--just above the knee--for the Maple Harvest Dance in a Catholic school and they wouldn't have let her in, so they had to sneak here through the secret way from the chapel. Her hair glowed autumn orange and gold and it billowed in freshly-cut waves around her face, tied with beads adorned with small scarlet maple leaves.
  
  The music from the gym changed from a vigorous polka to a slow song. Finally. Soothing electric piano--a BeeGees tune. She
  approached the ladder and gazed up where he sat perched with his back to the fifth rung.
  
  "Um, I might say the same thing about you look amazing,
  Mister Brandon Cragne with-your-shirt-off!" she smirked, placing her hands on the sides of the ladder.
  
  "It gets better," he raised an eyebrow. "Do you still have that lipstick with you?"
  
  "Sure do," she said, holding it up and smacking her red lips in air-kisses.
  
  > About you
  "Can you copy this? I need you to write this glyph on my chest."
  
  Jessica peered at the college-ruled drawing torn from his spiral notebook. "I can. But... how big do you want it? Neck to belly-button--?"
  
  You're the artist. I trust you," She intently started gliding the red pigment across his skin. "It just needs to be accurate, not huge--yeah, just like that, that's perfect."
  
  "Hey," she said, touching up where the lines were thin, "I don't suppose there's any chance we could put this off? Just for tonight? Let's go in and dance and get kicked out. We can leave this town, run away, change our names, go up to Canada..."
  
  Brandon grinned. "Why on earth would you--oh God that tickles! Ha!--Why would anyone want to go all the way up to
  Canada?"
  
  "Dunno! I've never been! I've heard it's a cool place and it's gonna be all the rage someday!"
  
  > Yes
  "Yeah, it's a cool place with really long winters. And maple
  syrup and hockey--I know. That would be fun. But the Harvest Dance doesn't happen every night of the year. We won't get this chance ever again."
  
  "Well, then," Jessica climbed far enough up the ladder so they were almost face-to-face. "I guess I'm gonna have to do this right now."
  
  Their lips touched--but she started giggling, then so was he. "I'm serious!"
  
  The tips of their noses touched. "So serious!" He leaned down and kissed and it was much much better.
  
  how deep is your howlove deepisyourlove how deep is your love? i really need to learn...
  
  She pulled back, but their eyes never left each other, "Thank you for inviting me to the dance, Brandon Cragne."
  
  "Thank you for accepting my invitation, Jessica Santos."
  
  > KISS JESSICA
  
  They kissed as long as they could, smiling the whole time. When it was time, she retreated down the ladder and stepped back, sparkling in her outfit and heels.
  
  "Give'm hell, Jessica."
  
  "That's what I'm planning," she said, throwing her tiny purse over her shoulder and striding through the double doors to the east toward the gymnasium.
  
  > WAIT
  
  The fire doors between the narthex and the school hallway clicked closed. Brandon waited as long as he could. He didn't want to chance that she would have to see him or hear what was about to happen.
  And at that moment his resolve faltered. There was no reason for
  this. He had free will! He didn't have to listen to the voices! He could take this noose right off...
  
  > JUMP
  
  He stepped off the ladder and thrashed as the rope tightened.
  There was no longer a hole in his head through which he could
  inhale or exhale--red and black flashes big red and black flashes multiplying and expanding and a vast rushing in his ears heartbeat black darkness try to breathe nope he was tumbling down into a black space of nowhere
  
  on the sides those are my eye veins glowing hot pissing my pants how embarrassing red flashes and black flashes and bright black flashes and black--
  
  > AH, DEAR NAOMI. AS MUCH AS WE DO ENJOY YOUR COMPANY, THERE'S HARDLY ROOM FOR EVEN ONE EXTRA IN YOUNG MASTER CRAGNE'S CORPOREAL FORM. WE HADN'T PLANNED FOR YOUR EXPEDITIOUS ARRIVAL SO EARLY! LET ME FIRST ASSURE YOU THAT THIS ISN'T HOW YOU DIE. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE YOU NEED TO ACCOMPLISH FIRST. GOODNESS! YOU'RE TURNING QUITE AN AMUSING SHADE OF PURPLE NOW, SO HOW ABOUT WE SUSPEND THIS EXCHANGE TEMPORARILY? WE'LL SEE YOU BACK IN, OH, SAY, FIFTEEN OR SIXTEEN YEARS? WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU AGAIN--BOTH YOU AND YOUR DELICIOUS HUSBAND.
  
  You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom.
  
  You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom.The noose melts out of existence--GASP--and you tumble to the floor,
  cold green beautiful oxygen tearing painfully into your lungs. Gasping and wheezing. Then just laying with your cheek on the cool tile breathing and enjoying breathing for a good long time.
  
  You're still alive, Naomi.