Red

Content Warning:

Explicit descriptions of verbal and emotional abuse, familial and head trauma, PTSD, disordered eating, neglect, jokes about self-harm, suicide mention, repetitive word, and a lot of capitalised words.
— fairydoctor

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The broken chair still sat in the middle of the room.

At this particular time, Mordecai was engrossed in studying an amphibiac language from New England, and relocated to Site-3125 to further his research. While waiting for Site-3125 to be renovated, he stayed at a civilian, well with-in budget, apartment. His room was similar to the musty residential motel in San Diego from his time as a street performer. However, even the roach-infested flat had more care put into it than the apartment in Western Massachusetts. Fortunately for Mordecai, he would move at the end of the month.

His head in the present was cluttered. Vertigo. It took him hours to gain the energy to cook. Food was disgusting and thinking about it made him nauseous. Last week he took refuge at a co-worker's apartment to escape the awful living situation.

Bearing some unknown weight, his head felt dizzy. He needed somewhere to sit that wasn't the stool.

The broken chair still sat in the middle of the room.

The room felt like wearing a lead coat. No spot on the bed was visible; computer equipment, books, clothes, and various other knick-knacks were stacked in neat piles on the bed. Lethargic heat pressed on him, and he struggled to focus. Finally, he made food and planned to eat it and get back to packing.

He convinced himself to eat the egg salad by watching horror games. The streamer screamed as fire alarms sounded in the game. Mordecai, momentarily, jumped out of his stool. Oh no, not again, he thought. A moment passed and again he thought, never mind it's in the video. Thank God.

Sirens continued past the level, sanity froze as hot-cold tendrils spread down his spine. He was stunned and muted the video. The sirens blared. His mind screamed and again the nothingness returned to ice with the onset of PTSD— and himselves died in some yet undefined part of the human consciousness.

His vision softening into the middle distance, they bore into his computer screen.

The alarms continued, "Smoke smoke! Evacuate!"

It was impossible that it was his broken alarm. He looked up at his ceiling, to make sure he wasn't hallucinating the missing alarm. Still there was the empty hole and dangling cables.

It's been a week, he thought, Slumlord hasn't replaced it.

The lights in Mordecai's room blinked. He slowly pointed his phone toward the ceiling.

"Smoke smoke! Evacuate!" he smelt no smoke.

The room went black and cold as the growing ice did the same. He turned on the phone's flash and took video of the empty fire alarm, the wailing alarms outside the door, and the wailing throughout the entire house.

Mordecai's breathing became haggard. Chocking on tears, the internal ice melted and fog filled the nothingness. Another few moments of panicked eternity went before he decided to text his friend and co-worker.

In slow motion he stood and peaked out the door. No smoke, and the lights were on in the rest of the house. He closed the door and let his flashlight fall onto the room. Sat all around were scattered, half-full boxes, in preparation for the move.

Thinking the worst (but not fire) he started packing.

He tripped over a box and fell onto the bed when his phone rang. He forgot he texted his co-worker. Mordecai answered, "Hello? HELLO?" he breathed heavily.

"Damn! I can hear it over the phone!" his co-worker said.

"HElp!" Mordecai breathed heavier.

"It'll be okay buddy, what are you doing right now?"

He pumped his hands, knowing very well that if the stress response continued he would lose it.

Violently throwing stuff in boxes he yelled, "I'M FUCKING PACKING!"

"Take in a slow deep breath."

Huffing angrily while pumping his fists, he saw flashbacks in the fog and nothingness when his mother had a similar stress response. It always ended with Mordecai getting beaten. I don't want to be like her, which only made the stress response worse, making him even angrier at himself.

He didn't hear what Axolotl said, so the amphibian repeated themself. Still not hearing his friend, he continued crashing out, and yelling at no one in particular.

"I can't do this anymore. My PTSD, my anxiety, my anxiety, my anxiety is full— I cannot do this anymore," he blew a heavy sigh, "I knew I shouldn't've come back overnight," loud, angry huffing came out of his mouth, which almost compelled him to ram his head against a wall, "I always feel like I'm fleeing for my safety," he stopped and looked around the room. His eyes were in the middle distance once again, "I don't know what to pack. I don't know what to do—"

"Just waterboard yourself! That's what I do to calm down," Axolotl chimed.

Mordecai paid them no mind and rammed his head into the wall.

"That doesn't sound like waterboarding— you don't have to pack it all tonight!" his friend tried to be reassuring.

Mordecai's growing paranoia subsided from his friend's joke. However, at physical present he was effectively alone in the house with the two boomers who hated him, and who he hated in return. It started with Budlight. Mordecai caught Budlight blackout drunk in the hallway outside his room a few months ago. He eavesdropped on a phone call between Mordecai and his ex in San Diego.

Two-faced.

Karen moved in within the last two months, acted like a Karen. She had the audacity to bully Jaqui (a tenant who lived in the house for six years) and tell her what to do. Jaqui could only concede so much, and her, and Mordecai, had to remind Karen that the house is a shared space. Other tenants' things are going to be in the kitchen and laundry areas. Out of all the tenants to try picking a fight with, Karen was trying to bait Jaqui, who was the most patient. Which meant that the abuse fell to the next person.

Mordecai.

During the last few months when the fire alarms sounded, it was Mordecai and the two boomers at the house. They both deeply believed that Mordecai was smoking in his room or doing something heinous. He doubted any of them would break into, or even find where his Foundation credentials were held. Instead, Mordecai wanted personal space and felt a right to it. Every time the alarms went off, the duo escalated the situation and demanded entry.

Mordecai made sure the door was locked.

A week before the present crisis, the fire alarms had sounded for the second time that month. So, in his panic he tried to "solve" the problem. Mordecai had hallucinated that the two housemates were threatening to come into his room— like they had already done earlier in the month. He attempted to reset it. A long pause. Wailing again, all Mordecais pressed the button. Nothing.

He had to climb further up the chair to reach the battery. On the tip-toes of himself and tops of the chair, he looked down and silently told himselves to be careful. He tried taking the batteries out and in again for a hard reset. Misjudging the velocity he fell.

For a microsecond he saw black and then white stars obstructed his vision. Occluded by sound he tried to make sense of the world. Ringing echoed in the overcast and frigid nothingness. A bruise formed on his head. Karen pounded on the door and yelled over the alarms, "Let me check your alarm!"

His chair sat broken in the middle of the room, and he held the alarm's battery in his hand. Surely, she'd blame this on him.

She did.

He explained, and was immediately reminded why he didn't talk with either of them. She spoke over him. Asked the same question. Didn't allow Mordecai space answer it. The stars and bruise turned into a headache. The broken chair still sat in the middle of the room.

She called the fire department, "Yea, he took the batteries out and now the alarms are going off," muffled responses from the other side of the line, and she drawled, "Yea, I don't know why he did that either."

Again, Mordecai told her what happened. She snapped "Excuse me! I am. On. The. Phone," and sharply turned to leave. She repeated herself to the fire department, "Yea, I don't know why he did this."

When the firefighters came, and helped defuse the alarms, Karen, once again, pointed at Mordecai, "Why did you rip out the battery?"

"The alarms were already going off. I was trying to reset it."

"By taking out the batteries?"

"That's what you did last wee—"

The fireman cut off both of them, "This alarm is expired."

Ignoring the fireman, she pointed at Mordecai, "Why did you rip out the battery?"

The fog condensate, and rain fell into a boiling river. Steam rose to the surface. Head pounding he yelled, "I was standing on that chair," himselves aggressively pointed, "and when I fell off of it, the battery came with me."

"I just don't understand how that could happen?"

"PHYSICS!" he bellowed.

"I don't believe that happened. Why did you rip out the battery?"

Mordecais howled. Now the firefighters tried to defuse another situation, "MY BROKEN CHAIR IS RIGHT HERE! IT HAPPENED! IT'S RIGHT HERE!"

She was already down the hallway at that point. A firewoman shifted nervously in the brightly lit hall. They were volunteer firefighters, and no doubt she was questioning her work as a volunteer. The fireman frowned, and Mordecai watched his eyes turn cold and follow Karen.

Shaking her head, the firewoman asked if Mordecai needed an ambulance and he agreed. The paramedics diagnosed him with a concussion. When the paramedics left, he overheard Karen and Budlight, "He's being dramatic to cover up something."

The broken chair still sat in the middle of the room.

When Jaqui got home that night, and tried to go over the event with Karen, Jaqui ended up snapping at her. Karen ignored Jaqui and repeated the same questions again and again and again and again.

The broken chair still sat in the middle of the room.

The next day after Karen told Slumlord that Mordecai was causing problems, Jaqui talked with him and told him what events had really occurred. It wasn't enough, daily Mordecai was getting threatening texts from the landlord.

The broken chair still sat in the middle of the room.

Snapping Mordecai back to the present, Axolotl shouted over the wailing alarms, "Do you want me to order an Uber?"

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Hot tears stained his hands as he shoved stuff into boxes.

A knock at his door took him out of his stupor, "WHO IS IT?"

Silence (except for the alarms).

"WHO THE FUCK IS IT?"

Karen's voice, "You need to let me in so I can check your alarm."

"IT'S NOT IN HERE!"

"What?"

He whispered into the mic for Axolotl to hear, "I'm sorry Axol," he moved the mic away from his mouth, took a deep breath, and projected a wall of sound "I DO NOT HAVE AN ALARM!"

Silence.

"What do you mean you don't have an alarm?"

She heard him that time.

"Slumlord hasn't replaced it!"

Moments stretched and she repeated herself, "I don't believe that! You need to let me in so I can check your alarm."

Mordecai thought, Doesn't fucking listen. Alarms or no alarms.

"I need to come in," again, she demanded.

"NO! NO YOU'RE NOT!" he threw an empty box across the room.

Karen heaved a loud sigh and stormed down the hall. I don't trust you, Mordecai thought, You're not coming into my room.

He stood in the middle of the room, hands pumping, huffing loudly, eyes misty, "I don't know what to pack Axolotl. I can't think. My brain is all fogged," the things needing packed were strewn all around, but he couldn't see them through the haze.

Knocking outside his bedroom door again, he howled, "WHO IS IT?"

Silence (other than the alarms).

He projected again and heard a scared and confused response, "This is the fire department."

Thank God.

He unlocked the door and peaked out through a small gap— two firefighters stood in the hallway as in last week. Immediately, he let them in and saw Karen with her arms crossed at the end of the hallway. Mordecai glared at her. She glared at him. Good. Stay the fuck out of my room.

The fireman pointed at Mordecai's missing alarm. Mordecai told him, "My hallwaymate and I told Slumlord to replace it a week ago after the last time," Mordecai told him that he took a new recording of the missing alarm amongst the cacophony of noise.

"This isn't good. This… this isn't good for your landlord."

Giddy over the phone, Axolotl asked, "Did she seriously call the cops?"

"No, it's the fire department."

"Oh, okay," Axol sounded disappointed and then said, "The Uber is ten minutes away."

"Thank you," the river cooled. His mind drizzled.

The firefighters looked at him. Mordecai was in the middle of a massive breakdown. If it wasn't for Axolotl, Mordecai would've asked the firefighters to call an ambulance— and then placed himself under suicide watch. There aren't enough words to express my gratitude, he thought. His eyes watered.

Through his teary eyes he saw the firefighter's shock and fear.

"I know I'm having a breakdown. I'm going to my friend's place to be safe," The firefighters nodded.

Ten minutes later, the Uber canceled his ride. Frustrated and hauling his bags out of the house, he shouted over the alarms to Axolotl "Just have the next guy meet me outside LL Bean's. Their lot is empty right now."

He couldn't leave the house. Sat on the steps smoking a cigarette was Budlight. He did not move when Mordecai demanded he move. Mordecai struggled with his over-packed backpack and handbag. Budlight needed to move over or get ran over.

Mordecai ran him over.

The broken chair still sat in the middle of the room.

The driver came, and Mordecai thanked him profusely. He asked him what was going on at the house. "There's no real fire. The alarms are expired and my landlord refuses to replace them," Mordecai was still steaming a little. He tried to even his breathing.

The driver said, "Everything's gonna be OK boss".

Mordecai nodded.

"You got this!" Axolotl's voice cooed over the phone, "You'll be here soon."

"Thank you," he acknowledged both. To Axolotl, "I'll let you know when I'm almost there."

---

When he got to Axolotl's, he still shook with rage and fear. Axolotl said that Mordecai wasn't shaking— "too badly".

"I'm still shaking though."

"…yea. You are— yea."

Axolotl asked Mordecai if he ate. Mordecai said that he tried to eat, but in the middle of the crisis he had thrown away his food.

Axolotl frowned, It's been days, they thought.

"Hey, well, I'm having tikki masala," they slowly backed away into the kitchen.

"I love tikki masala!" Mordecai sat upright on the couch.

"Can you help me make the rice?"

Mordecai left the living room. Cooking grounded him, and internally himselves returned to consciousness. Finally, he was able to eat.

He passed out shortly after, and woke up mid-morning. Lying face first on the couch, he was plagued by intense vertigo.