July 2085: in between days, part 3

Natty is 20. Ashley is 50.

Soundtrack, "In Between Days" by The Cure

Thursday, July 27, 2085: 10:00 pm


Natty called Charlie from home again when she got there, but that was silly. It had only been five minutes since the last time she tried. She called Benny next, but there was no answer there either. It was too late to call Gabby again. Gabby would probably be in bed by now anyway, and Natty didn’t want to lose favor with Charlie’s parents any more than she already had.

Natty didn’t know what else to do, so she picked up some dinner plates and took them to the sink.

July 2085: in between days, part 2

Natty and Hilary are 20. 

Soundtrack, "In Between Days" by The Cure

Thursday, July 27, 2085: 8:30 pm


Dance like nobody’s watching, even if you forget the moves. That's what people say, isn't it?

Natty used to dance. She used to dance even if she wasn’t good at it, and she didn’t care who saw her, or what they thought, or how she looked. She just danced. And she loved the hell out of it.

At some point she stopped dancing, and she doesn’t remember when or why. She never imagined it meant anything was wrong. People get busy, working jobs, going to college. Who even had time for dancing anymore? Losing yourself in the frenzy of so many warm bodies and all that music? Natty was trying to find herself, not lose herself.