Audre & Bash Are Just Friends

by Tia Williams

“Everything changes. Nothing’ll be the same a year from now. But my tats will. They’re like reminders of things I loved once. Even just for a day.”

When Bash saw Audre sitting by herself in the park, it was like all the cells in his body started buzzing. He knew who she was: Audre Zora Maya Toni Mercy-Moore.

“An hour of continuous use?” She winced. “Ouch.” “And why is it double-sided?” They tilted their heads together, reading the instructions on the back. With a shocked gasp, Audre backed away from the case like it was on fire.

“I just got burned out, man. There are no jobs. The economy is trash. No one’s in charge. Gun violence is gonna kill us all anyway. How’s the Ivy League gonna save us?”

If you grow up around older family members (aunts, uncles, grandparents), ask questions about their past. When you don’t know your family history, you can feel like an escaped balloon-no anchor, just floating away to who-knows-where. Alone.