Dream of Life

That Fucked up Girl

(chapter written by me!)

Purple was Zoe's favorite color, so it was fitting to have the light that shined when she pulled the lever be that color. When she pulled the lever, similarly to Alana, different photos seemed to show up everywhere. Family photos where they all had forced their most perfect smiles (except for Connor, who opted to look bored or annoyed in each one), and a few different photos of the jazz concerts she had performed at after school. 

How would her parents feel now that she was gone? Would they really even care, or would they just be upset that they didn't have their perfect Zoe to show off anymore?

"Zoe Makayla Murphy. Born August 18th. Leo, the artistic nature. By the time Zoe was six years old, the Murphy parents knew three things for sure." Zoe gave a playful wink at Jane Doe. "The second and third things were that she had an interest in learning to play the guitar and a flair for being dramatic. While other kids would play on the monkey bars, Zoe would opt to sitting on the swings alone, strumming a purple toy guitar her parents had got her while trying to come up with songs as she played it. 

In fact, Zoe became one of the best performers in the Kiwani Jazz Group, which made her parents quite proud and they would often brag about it. In her spare time, however, Zoe would love to dream about traveling to France, and, well, other things soon to be revealed. Take it away, Zoe Murphy, most romantic girl in town."

Zoe proudly smiled. "You know, I've seen the movie The Blue Angel more times than I can count." Her smile then dropped to a more serious expression. "If there's anything in this world better than Marlene Dietrich's performance as Lola Lola, the heartless boozehound harlot? I do not even want to hear about it."

She continued as she paced slightly. "I would always try and go as her for Halloween, but I would chicken out. Too scared to really ask my parents, so I'd just go as something like Cinderella." The redhead then smiled and pointed a finger up in the air. "In my heart, however, I was Lola Lola dressed as Cinderella! That was always the subtext to every Halloween costume I had!" 

Zoe stopped pacing and took off his glasses, cleaning them once again. "My parents always wanted me to blend in. Or rather, only stand out when it could be used to show me in the perfect light. I tried really hard, and I think I did a good job for the most part." She squinted her eyes as she held her glasses up close to her face, examining for any spots that weren't even there to begin with. "I had too, we live in a town where the most exciting thing that happens is when Bring Your Own Slurpee Cup Day happens at 7-11."

As she put her glasses back on, she smiled wide. "I was born in the wrong town, the wrong era even! I wanted to feel, goddammit." She laughed and continued. "I wanted.. bad love. I wanted a woman, who would drive me to drink. I wanted to wake up in an alleyway, covered in vomit and missing teeth! I wanted to drink myself to death on the cup of life!" She sighed softly. "Anyone who hasn't experienced the ecstasy of betrayal, has never known ecstasy at all!"

The photos around the room gathered together, making one big image of Zoe. The girl had an unamused expression, wearing an apron that said 'A La Mode' on it and a purple colored polo under it. 

Zoe felt her face heat up in embarrassment at the photo as she slowly turned to Karnak. "What's that?" she pointed at the photo.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Karnak spoke, an amused hint in his tone that made Zoe want to kick him, even at the risk of hurting her foot.

"Fine." Zoe inhaled sharply before exhaling. "I worked at the A La Mode down the street of the school. My parents wanted me to get a summer job, and we used to go there when Connor and I were kids, so it seemed like a good idea!" She scoffed and crossed her arms. "Had I known I would've been the only responsible employee, I wouldn't have chosen there."