Have you ever actually talked to Neruda Cohen?

No... who the fuck would?

I know right! Total weirdo.

That old man's a fucking dick...

He was in the grocery store the other day. Dude was going on and on at the checkout, crying about how glad he was to see the cashier.

Christ.

Yeah man. He told him he saw him just disappear into thin air. Started crying about, "ohh this place was a ghost town for a whole year! Now everyone is back and nobody knows... Nobody knows!!! What loneliness I have been through..." Fuckin'-a, man!

What a loon.

Seriously. I'm telling ya. Dude needs help. I feel bad for him.

Yeah.

Shit man. So anyway, what are you up to on Saturday?

Uhh, I dunno... Probably gonna be, cleaning.

Cleaning? You motherfucker! You're always cleaning! Why not come out for once?

Nahhhh man... I just... I got shit to do, you know?

Yeah... Whatever... Why don't you ever come out man?

Be, 'cause... I got shit to clean.

Dude be straight with me. Do you wanna actually hang out with me anymore? I hit you up on the weekends and you're never around. I know you're not working, man. I mean, c'mon - there's a great band coming to town and I know you'd love them.

Dude, just drop it man. I gotta clean.

Whatever, man... You're living the dream! Who knows who's dream it is though.

...

Seriously Bo', you okay? You seem mad bummed.

...I gotta go.

(Neruda ^{sat in the cafe just before Boris opened the pause menu. Across from Neruda was Simone, his daughter. The cancer in her was incurable. She freed herself from the hospital to live. She could die any day.}

^{"I want to tell you..." Boris fought through the tears.}

^{Simone, vision blurring by the welling of tears, had only recently become close again with her estranged father. His supposed hallucinations had driven her far, far away.}

^"That..."

^{In the deep profundity of the moment, Neruda raised his flowing eyes to her face -- but it was no longer there.}

^{"NO!!!" He stood up and looked around hopelessly, frantically searching for bodies that he knew would not be there.}

^{"No no NO!!! This can't be happening again!!!"}

^{He ran out to the street, there was nobody there. "Simone!" he screamed, bawling, sprinting along vacant pavements, shuddering upon hearing his voice echo through the quiet, empty city which now lacked life and movement.}

^{The adrenaline eventually gave way to abject despair. He slowly turned around and trudged his way to the empty cafe.}

^{He grievingly sat back in the chair, staring blankly at the table.}

^{"I'll always love you, Simone.")}