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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre… if he doesn't eat you first."

"Really. You need to stop with the horror movies. It's scary enough going off on my own."

"Well, I'll be waiting for your return. Demarco don't do camping."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Understanding."

"I want to see you happy, Alec. I also want to see if it works. Maybe I'm up for the next self-help journey."

"Maybeweshould give it a go. Like in the movies."

The looked at each other, faces morphing into incredulous grimaces.

"Eww," said Demarco. "That's like…incest."

"True… but at least I don't care if you're a hooker."

"You would. They all do."

"As long as you're my hooker."

"Back up and turn around."

They were silent again for a while. They turned south on 22nd a block, and then took N St. back

toward the Circle. When the reached 21st they stopped.

"You headed home?" Demarco asked.

Alec glanced in the direction of his brownstone and nodded. "Yeah."

"I could come with you… for support."

"No. I need to do this. It's time."

"Call me."

"I will. You gonna cab it?"

"No. Metro. I wanna hit the store on the way."

"Scratch offs?"

"You know it."

"When you win, let's buy an island and leave it all behind."

"Would you ever really leave the Circle?"

Alec pondered. "Does anyone ever really leave it? I think once you're here, it's always with

you."

"How romantic, Mr. writer-man."