In a prologue set years earlier when some

In a prologue set years earlier when some sort of weather typical for the setting was to be expected, a domestic animal woke an incidental character in the usual way. This presaged

"Heath," the therapist interrupted, "what's wrong with saying 'my cat woke me up yesterday'? You're here because your family can't understand you. Why use 32 words when 6 will do?

Heath thought about what the therapist said, then carefully offered a six-word response: "From now on, I'll do that." Heath never said more than six words at a time to anyone again

, until he met a journal he affectionately called "Sasha". He could say everything he wanted to her, and not be afraid of the consequences. However, he still couldn't speak out lou

d of his love affair, worried that it might get around. Sasha was infinitely loyal, as journals go, even though she saw him go to other pads (even taking notes, at times).

& illuminated. But the scholar she was so enamored of was more interested in what he read between the lines. Why didn't he check her out? She fell off the shelf, centerfold exposed

the bare breast of a girl whiter than an the colour itself. She straddled an elf, his buddies hid under a shelf, he was running out of breath, she was choking him to death. Nails

, rivets, a pink paper clip and two pieces of sticky tape were used by the elf's buddies to secure his slipping trousers. His buddies made no effort to remove the girl from choking

and eventually they were tried in a court of law for causing her tragic death. They got life sentences, and were killed after three years in a prison riot. No-one mourned.