freeguilt    _{*  ravi.}

_{‘     with the exception of you,   my second cousin,   and anyone else fortunate enough to be born after 1987.     ’}

_{moving on.}

_{tweaking  is a concern if not a surprise,   considering what kind of recreational substances the good people of seattle are dabbling in these days.     ‘     right,   and   —   about that.    if you happen upon something called  lucky u,   i’d give it a wide berth.    you know,   from a medical standpoint.    i  am  a medical professional.     ’}

_{“     you’re an ME,  yo.    medical professional makes you sound a hell of a lot more  sophisticated  though,  don’t it ?    like you’re rollin’ in dough,  catchin’ them honeys.     ”}

_{but she’ll heed his warning.    drugs aren’t her scene though the company she keeps might give the wrong impression and that’s something she’s working on remedying before it gets her in  trouble.}    

_{she’s heard of lucky u.    even knows pushers.    never tried it herself and doesn’t  plan  to.    fingers crossed she sticks to her guns this time and doesn’t let a little trauma wreck her mental stability.    she’s been getting back on track,  picking up where she left off and piecing herself together again.}

_{it’s a work in progress.}

_{“     does it  look  like i’m some kinda junkie ?    y’ gotta gimme a li’l more credit,  f’ real.   ”}

freeguilt    _{*  ravi.}

_{‘     …  and you haven’t the  faintest  idea what i’m talking about,   do you.     ’     latex gloves come off with a snap and he’s leaning forward a little to get a better look at the photo on her screen.     ‘     mm   —   nope,   sorry,   don’t recognize him.    my slabs are all full - up,   i’m afraid,   but if he arrives in a body bag i’ll   –––––––     ’     stop.   backpedal.   he clears his throat.     ‘     ah,   when   —   when exactly did your friend speak to him last ?     ’}

_{“     p’ft.    everyone knows the village people.     ”     she doesn’t know the village people.    figures they’re not worthy of  costuming  based on the  ‘ atrocious ’  comment.}

_{pockets the phone,  somewhat relieved until he shatters that confidence in one fell swoop.    she knows it’s just ravi being ravi,  but  death  has been taking too many of her friends lately and it leaves a sour taste in her mouth.     “     almost a week.    whatever.    he’s probably just  tweaking.     ”}

freeguilt    _{*  ravi.}

_{‘     —   i’ll have you know that all hallows’ eve is,   unironically,   the  liveliest  night on my calendar.    i once performed an autopsy on somebody dressed as one of the village people.    atrocious.    what can i do for you ?     ’}

_{“     one of the  village  people.     ”     nothing surprises her anymore after the pied piper killings,  except for maybe the corpse she’s half - expecting to  breathe  beneath that sheet.     “     i got a friend who’s got a friend that’s been off the radar for a couple days.    was wonderin’ if you sliced ‘n diced him,     ”     holding out her phone for him to see.}

_{“     yo,  doctor death !    how’s it hangin’ ?    you pumped for halloween ?     ”     //  @freeguilt}