Have the lambs stopped screaming?

 “And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.” Genesis 4:13 The gas station was abandoned. Not closed— abandoned . The roof sagged like it had secrets. Weeds grew through the concrete. A single streetlight buzzed faintly overhead, spitting white noise into the dark. Harley leaned against the rusting ice chest, her lighter clicking again and again with no cigarette. Just the ritual. Her nails were chipped black, and her eyes had that faraway gleam. The one she wore when she was somewhere else, someplace only she could see. Dylan sat on the curb, arms draped over his knees. His hoodie sleeves were dirty at the cuffs. He wasn’t cold, just tired. Bone-tired. From school, from home, from Harley.  From Eden. She crouched beside him. Her hair fell in a curtain that smelled like someone else’s perfume. Her fingers brushed his.  He almost said her name. The real one. Eden. The one that only slipped out when he was dreaming or bleeding. Instead, he stood ...

Harley sat on the hood of Dylan’s car, legs crossed, hoodie zipped up to her throat even though it was warm out. Her brown hair sprawled beneath her head. The ocean was a black smear behind them, loud but invisible. Dylan was lying on the roof, one leg hanging off the side, sneaker tapping lightly against the windshield. She could see his sea glass eyes staring up lazily. He grew into his jersey. He didn't let his sandy blonde hair grow. Thought the buzz cut made him look older. It did. He looked like a man. An awkward, weird little man. “You ever think about just...not doing any of it?” she asked, voice flat. Not sad. Just curious. “Any of what?” “ What comes after, school.” Dylan laughed under his breath. “Like what, just stay here forever and rot?” “I don't know” she said, tugging her sleeves down over her hands.  There was a pause. The sky above was so full of nothing it almost seemed heavy. No stars. Just haze. “Vanessa would hate that” Dylan said. “She says dying’s only c...