Read "The Laughter" by Sonora Jha online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Today is November 5th. I had another fitful night of sleep, perhaps a result of eating nothing but crackers and cheese with whiskey as I wrote late into the night. No meal delivery from Janet. And what I thought was an approach from her on my porch in the wee hours of this morning was actually something more disturbing. I woke up to what I imagined was the shadow of a human, a head peering in at my window, rendered somewhat shapeless by the curtains. By the time I gathered myself and stumbled to the door, there was no sign of anyone, just a cold wind blowing in some leaves. Edgar ran out and I had to follow him, cursing and cold, onto the street. There, again, I had the sense that I was being watched.
One could dismiss such foreboding as paranoia, but many would agree that this isn't a good time for ordinary men such as me. A rage so much like Ruhaba's-albeit bereft of beauty such as hers-is bubbling up around us. Misplaced and blinded, it seeks to strike down everything in its path.