All Azim has to do is let go.

The ski lift stops. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees figures in neon vests at the bottom of the
hill trudge upwards, slowly. They won't make it in time, but he really shouldn't be looking that
way.
Charlie's grip slips by the second. His mouth is pressed in a hard line, eyes are wide and watery maybe because of the fear, and maybe because of the dry, cold air that's biting both of them.
Behind his head, the snow's all powder throughout the tree-lined path: no rocks. If he manages to
stay on his feet for the whole drop, not hit his head, that was all that really mattered...
Azim heaves his arm up, and then his heart when the whole bench gives a rattling shake.
"Azim! What the fuck?"
Charlie's mouth is wide open, eyes are still open, and his face is near the same shade of burgundy
as his cap and scarf, but not because of biting, numbing cold.
His voice comes out in a feeble, weak, "sorry," that neither of them could hear.
"If you try to save me, you're going to kill us!"
All Azim wants to do is explain himself. Something fluid and salty rolls into his mouth, and they
keep coming, and they're liquid--snot?
Wait, no, fuck. He's crying, crying his eyes out while his best friend's in mortal peril.
He swallows it up, as fast as he can, and he can't. It might be a bad time to explain himself.
"Dude, I can rock a neck-brace for a few months. It'll be fine."
Azim laughs. It's a miracle when he laughs, and ninety-eight percent of the time, Charlie's the
one working it. If--no, when Charlie's at the hospital, with him, he'll have two plaster casts
around his legs, no brace in sight, and Azim will see him, and they'll laugh about it, again. He
looks down, Charlie's gritting his teeth, and he's thinking something dangerous.

Azim is thinking, I might kill you.

Ellen is chopping sweet potatoes in the kitchen, not paying much mind to what's going on TV, as
long as it's not too sexy or scary. Well, Bob Schiefer look a little scary, and whomever that
blonde correspondent is...Ellen wont comment, but if CBS can keep a lovely, spazzy seven-yearold girl sedated for an hour while she preps the casserole, that's a gift of its own.
She hears a sharp, shrill, sob, and almost cuts her finger off. Ellen drops the knife on the ground,
and doesnt look back when she runs into the living room.
The TV announces that you may be entitled to legal compensation if youve taken some eightsyllable depression medication. Ellen turns it off.
Savannahs head is buried in a couch cushion, and Ellen says nothing, just rubs her back, runs
fingers through her straight, sandy hair. Wanna tell me what happened?
Savannah doesnt talk for a few minutes. She can take her time.

Ronald doesnt care about his volume. Its disgusting, whats been happening these days, and the
world needs to know, or at least the waiter.
Every two weeks on the news, you hear homicide, homicide, double-murder-suicide. Were
you alive in 52, kid?
No, sir. Um, can I recommend the special
Back when I met my wife He points at Ethel, in case the waiter couldnt tell that they were
married. These types of things? Unheard of! It was bliss.
The kid nods. Yeah, its pretty sick.
Ronald looks at him. No earrings, weird bangs, tattoos...he looks safe.

How old are you?

Nineteen.
Got a girlfriend?
No.
Well, when you do, make sure you treat her right. Give us two Caesar salads.
The waiter takes their order, their menus, and leaves.
Ron? Its the love of Rons life, this time.
Yes?
Order a Caesar for me again, and Im gonna have to murder you.

There was...there was a story on the news. Ellen presses a tissue over her daughters nose. She
holds on to it, all by herself, and blows. And this lady killed her boyfriend.

The Physicist nearly chokes on her iced tea when she hears the strains of that elderly couples
entirely one-sided squabble. They walk out of the restaurant, the man incomprehensible and beet
red.
You think thats gonna be us one day? The other woman at the table the Doctor blushes.
The Physicist doesnt appear to notice. I think Ill be Ethel, and youre going to be Ron.
Really?
You act like that whenever youre on call, Rosa.

Why did she do it, Mom?

This was a hard talk. She felt odd for pouring over every macabre detail in the articles,
interviews, case reports, and didnt even mention it to her therapist.
I think the reason why its such a big story is because nobody really understands, Sav.

Alice nearly chokes on her iced tea after her date asks her a question.
Do you ever wonder how many bodies in the world still have beating hearts? The girl names
on the tip of her tongue, Alice swears blushes. Its...kind of cute. Sorry, sorry, that was
No, no, its fine. Read my thesis if you wanna look at something thats really out there. The
girl laughs.
You probably think Im some morbid poet.
Youre not? Bummer.
Im a med student. The girl stirs (another) pack of sugar into her coffee. Some people donate
their bodies to science, even if theyre not totally dead.
Yeah, Ive heard of that. Have you ever...
Ive only done the traditional cadavers.
Alice shudders, and hopes the girl doesnt notice. Its my least favorite part of the job. But, you
know, I hope I dont ever go, like...become a vegetable. Im sorry. Lets stop talking about
death.
She doesnt know why, but she thinks thats funny. I dont wanna sound like an asshole, but
whats your name again?
Rosa.

Azim clears up the remnants of two Caesar salads on the graveyard shift. Some of its on the
floor, and hes mopping, mopping away, and sees two feet dressed in neon-laced Converse in
front of them.
I think that guy mightve been around when Caesar was alive.
Its such a bad joke. He laughs.
Are you gonna help me Charlie, or just stand there? And look pretty.
Fine, fine, Ill help. Charlie sprays Windex on the table. Old people are so out of it. Like,
murder sucks, but it totally happened in whatever decade that guy still lives in.
Sometimes, its just hard to picture, though.
Charlie bends down on the floor, down to his level. You think youve found your soul mate yet,
Azim?
If you didnt know, but if you thought you didnt know because the person doesnt like you and
maybe you Googled unrequited soul mate only to find that the answer was I dont know.
Youd know if you have.
Yeah, thats whats tripping me up.
You dont go around wheeling knives in people?
Ninety-eight percent of the time, Azim laughs at Charlies jokes, and it doesnt matter if theyre
bad. This times different.
Sorry. He picks up the last few cherry tomatoes. Out of sight, two neon-laced Converse shoes
and their owner walk out of the restaurant.