boxes and squares #3: what dreams?

October 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Maria Boone is 26, Lou Corelli is 29.

Soundtrack: “Dreams” by The Cranberries

previously: what happened after Stephanie’s wedding // meet Lou

* briefly NSFW 😇

Before he headed out into the wilderness, while still in San Sequoia, Jordan stopped into a tattoo parlor in a quiet suburban shopping strip. Colette was never a fan of his only tattoo and forbade him from getting more. Why did he ever let her decide that for him? They weren’t married, and half the time they hardly liked each other.

Now, they weren’t together at all anymore and he wasn’t asking permission.

He wasn’t asking Maria, either, to be honest, though her opinion he absolutely cared about. This journey for him meant not letting women control his life anymore, and that had to include Maria, as well.

So, with a sizable chunk of his travel fund and a couple of ibuprofen, he settled in to commit vision to flesh. And he said a small prayer that Maria wouldn’t mind this one on him, because it wasn’t exactly small.



His travels would next take him up the coast and into the Cascade Mountains where he looked forward to being truly off-grid and out of cell reception for a few days.

Now it was time to go get lost and see what epiphanies he might find.

boxes and squares #2: this is not that story again

September 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Ingrid Thompson is 25, Clayton Dodd is 21.

previously: the summer of 2085



Ingrid paced the camper for half an hour. She got dressed, trying to make as much noise as possible. This man slept like a rock. Or maybe the problem was that he stayed up all night talking to his lover and then fell asleep on an actual rock. In any case, Ingrid felt restless and wanted to start the day.

She stood over his cot and cleared her throat. “Ahem.”

And he finally woke with a startle and a small yelp.



She chuckled. “Oh my gosh, I thought you’d never wake up! Do you always sleep this late?”

He just blinked his eyes and continued sitting up.

“Can we stay a day? Stretch our legs? I’d like to get some landscape shots, do a little yoga somewhere ethereal, and maybe I’ll write a poem, too.”

“Eh, sure,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind a hike.”