LOCATION: the vigil TIME: a little after 6pm
THE FIRST TIME ANYONE SEES or hears from max after the party is at the vigil . he hadn’t attended classes on monday , nor show up for the football meetup that same afternoon . it was uncharacteristic of the man who always seems so diligent — so GOODY-GOODY — so for him to play hooky after already showing such atypical behavior at the party ? it was . . . odd , to say the very least .
but , despite that , he’s HERE , head low , cheekbones illuminated by the warm glow of candlelight all around him . there are others , and some stare at him with hushed whispers about how he looks like a GHOST . about how they can’t believe he could be part of any of this . max doesn’t mind their idle gossip , nor does he pay it any care . he’s too preoccupied . the sun dips & his chest aches & it doesn’t feel real . no matter how much he thinks about it / no matter how much he WISHED for it , daisey actually being gone feels like nothing more than a BAD DREAM . he wants to wake up / damn the consequences / he wants to WAKE UP .
blue eyes glaze over in thought as they shift from the flickering flame in his hand to a nearby bush . ❛❛ i keep thinking she’s going to jump out with a camera , ❜❜ he muses aloud , indiscriminate to those that could overhear . ❛❛ like it’s all just a TEST she’s put on to see how many of us really care about her , y’know ? or some . . . reality tv prank . ❜❜ his voice cracks & he feels himself breaking to pieces . max swallows , hard , gathering up the shards of himself quick enough to cut his hands . HE CAN’T BREAK ; not here / not now / not yet .

















