The Cuckoo's Call

by Lily Morton

His gaze stays fixed on the chair. “Plastic,” he whispers in a tragic voice. “Lovely,” I inform him. “You’ll lose weight sitting in these.” “How?” “When you get sweaty and stand, it’ll rip off your outer epidermis.”

I look back at Teo’s sleeping figure and finally let my hopes die away. They weren’t big or grandiose. I just wanted someone who would be my best friend and never abandon me.

I stay sitting on the chair watching Teo. It’s not just to make sure he’s okay, but also to fasten his sleeping face in my mind so I’ll never forget it. I listen to the clock on the wall as it ticks away my time with him. There are only hours and not days left now.