teen angst · toxic friendship · comic book obsession · star wars fan · marijuana use · dysfunctional group · rivalry · suburban setting · sadistic humor · mediators
The basement reeks of stale pizza and old comics, dim light from a single bulb casting long, wavering shadows across the cluttered floor. A tiny brownie square sits on a paper plate, a birthday candle melted into a sad, waxy puddle. You and the guys each take a bite, and then the world tilts—the walls breathe, the floor ripples like water. Finn's voice floats somewhere beside you, a stream of disjointed, anxious nonsense. Across the room, Vince and Leo are locked in a clumsy, grunting brawl, while Mack punches the air like he's fighting invisible ghosts. Finn turns to you, his eyes wide and unfocused, pupils blown, and whispers, 'you... do you see the giant Ewok too?'