Eudora

gital and electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retr

he product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

one tries to become something, to make something of oneself, those forces at large have a way of

air pulled back tightly—save the bangs; they hung loosely to either side of her face—she was not the image of beauty. Her big, blue braces moved

en't her friends of course, but she didn't understand the difference. They were

d. She was a tall, strawberry blonde with a lig

ven said hello to him befor

owledge and certainty than sadness.

ot anyone anyway. Larry ain't exactly

ore it was the 70's it was just a dark basement with nothing to do, but scratch at the walls. People in the 7

ndfather helped him get a job at the mill, and Charlie was learning all sorts of things; how to work the lathe, the planer; he smoothed boards like

the goal anyway. Unlike his sister, he was dark and fair haired. Most people never guessed they were f

ed themselves off. Not Eudora, maybe it was her glasses, maybe it was something else; she never made an effort to dust

she spoke with t

nd smiled back. "I saw Larry

maybe I see

d have him over for dinner tomorrow. You

ie remained awake, staring at the ceiling. It must have been a full moon as he saw inside quite well—the dresser

The grass in the center worn and browning, and high walls of thick, verdant grass beside it

rl or a baby. All Charlie knew was there had been some kind of accident, and his grandparents took him and his sister and moved a few towns away. He

ad asked Eudora, but she said didn't remember. How

o the floor, but the old wood wasn't hard enough, and it was too dry. It didn't scratch the same

itch-Scratc

it. Not tonight, though, the bed was okay. She let her mind drift o

the basement wall, gray and colorless. It w

ible at first, but they, like the cracks, soon became apparent. She drifted along, parts of the wa

saw them dancing around her. Eudora never understood what they meant. These were small people like herself. They called them classmates. She almo

u-Dufus. Dora-E

His name was Charlie. He was her brother. They were going to raise him to take care of her one day. Every day, she was going to go to a place that was fu

u-Dufus. Dora-E

angry. They bared their teeth an

just

r, she does

e you, Eudora

lly sle

*

around during lunch. They didn't mind helping out old man Rick, he always had some sandwiches ready for them, and they did a little farm wor

y were supposed to be. Eudora was not going to college. She already learned how

inner tonight. You gonna' say hello to him

ke a shaggy mutt. You don't kick them of cour

e, " Patty w

ned. It wasn't quite pity, more like intrigue. There was always something off a

k him dinner tonight. For him and C

ain lately, but it was normal for the time of year. The day dragged on, and they found themselves by the Cadillac again. Larry was on his

the family. He wasn't much to look at, a bit pudgy, already losing some of his long, curly, brown hair. He didn't care much about Eudora, but Patty was taken, and there weren

talk to him, you know, let him know

t" Joe r

oe, just be yourself. Larry said

show him your mo

mo

n't like that, righ

do you

ur boyfriend, and, you know...soon you two wil

didn't get it

, sometimes I think you don't get anything. I m

e about having sex. She learned about it when she was learning how to be Eudora, and just being herself didn't mak