THE SITUATION UNFOLDS : amanda sits across from her, life thrumming through her unpruned veins ( the tightrope act is reimagined as a pool table, the acrobat becomes a woman made to sacrifice herself ... grab onto the cue, begs the panting audience, while the acrobat has already realised how the show must end ). zoey’s hands shake around a cup of coffee. FOUR SUGARS, TOO SWEET. the bitterness burned her tongue, but she needed to stay awake ... the youth rebelled against sleep. caffeine is the hip new drug for all you overachievers! for all the restless nights and the dreams that just would not quit! she rubs her thumb over the dried coffee stain on the side of her mug, a door swinging open behind her. SMALL CAFE. smart choice for private meetings ( the last noise she’d ever heard from amanda was a scream and, when she opens her mouth, zoey expects to hear it again ). ‘ i don’t understand. ’ @amandaharper