Bump.

Somethin' happened yesterday. Somethin' strange. Somethin' scary. Somethin' maybe life-alterin'. Don't reckon I'll ever be the same again.

Started in the bar. x0x0 showed up in a dress lookin' all beautiful and feminine, and she backed Neut into a corner askin' if he liked her. Bein' a man, he tried to wriggle his way out of it by avoidance or answerin' with questions. Sometimes, an "ain't that enough?" answer just don't cut it. She's been feelin' a might insecure lately, and I think she got tired of him bein' wishy washy, which I can understand, cuz I been there my own self. Sometimes ya just gotta have definites, cuz unsure's sure as hell don't help shape yer existence.

Anyway, she got upset and went to the shelter. I was on my way to my sewerpipe when I changed my mind and decided to go check on her, cuz sometimes, just knowin' someone cares 'nough to come after you to make sure you're okay makes things a little better. I think she'd been cryin'. She was layin' there, and I was sayin' some men're scared to admit their feelin's, and she stood up and looked at me and said, "Bump."

Now, I normally woulda passed it off as normal x0x0 bein' random behavior, cuz she does that lots, just sayin' somethin' outta the blue. But it caught my attention, cuz I'd heard Jayne say the same word the day b'fore. Not heard her in my head, neither. She actually spoke. Kinda freaked me out when she said it, cuz, y'know, Jayne don't speak. At all. But as the day went on, I forgot. 'Til x0x0 said it last night. So I repeated it as a question. "Bump?" Everything went black.

Next thing I knew, I was tryin' to bury my face in the floor, my head felt like there was an angry midget with a pickaxe tryin' to bust outta my skull, x0x0 was screamin' and cryin', and Chol was yellin' at her. Chol wanted her to get outta the shelter. I think he thought she'd hurt me. And I think he was afraid she'd hurt me more. I could hear panic in his voice. He told me I had to get up and go to with him to the medpav so he could figure out what happened to me.

I opened my eyes. It was unreal, the explosion of colors that assaulted me. It physically hurt my 'ntire body. Each person I saw had this brilliant... the closest I could come to describin' it is to say they looked like stars close up, just smaller, and different colors on each person. It scared the hell outta me. Thought my brain'd gone funny, like maybe I'd hit it. But the more I looked, the more I realized it was ethereal and everyone's I saw was unique.

Not sure what it's all 'bout. Amy thinks it's me bein' able to see peoples' auras. But the question is, did x0x0 do it to me, or was it just a coincidence? Maybe she opened my brain up and let somethin' in. Don't rightly know, and doubt I ever will. All I know's that it's hard to look at folks now. The colors are so vivid and bright, like full body halos, and it hurts my head. Maybe I'll get used to it. Hope I will. But for now, I'mna just wear sunglasses and try to avoid lookin' at anyone.

x0x0 wanted to leave. She felt horrible 'bout it, like it was her fault. I don't want her to go. She's as much a part of this place as I am. And it wasn't her fault, even if it was somethin' she did. It wasn't her intent. She's got a good heart, and that's what matters. I hope she stays 'round. I'll get through this one way or another, ain't like I'm maimed for life. My world view's just more dazzlin' than it was before.