the place where

I’m not really going anywhere,” he answers. She considers him for some time before she announces, “Hi, I’m Dani.” He makes up a name and quickly blurts out, “I’m Eddie.” Hmm, not a good name for you, you should probably change it,” she says without any hint of normal human filters.

Dani: Wanna see something kinda cool?

Eddie: I’m just…walking.

Dani: Walk over here.

Eddie: No, I’m good. Thanks.

Dani: Have you always been scared?

Eddie: It’s just…

Dani: You’re scared.

Eddie: I don’t know you and, you know, not supposed to talk to strangers and all that.

Dani: You don’t look nine.

Eddie: Ok, I’m gonna…

Dani: (a beat) Gonna what?

Eddie: Where?

Dani: Just over here. It’s a tree.

Eddie: A tree.

Dani: Yeah but it’s so cool. (a beat) I’ll show you.

Eddie: I, I like trees.

Dani: Then you’ll love this one.

Eddie: You’re not going to murder me or anything.

Dani: Funny you should say that.

Eddie: Yeah? (a pause) You said it’s funny.

Dani: There it is.

Eddie: Oh, it’s just over here.

Dani: Like I said.

Eddie: It’s a tree.

Dani: They do rituals around it.

Eddie: Who’s they?

Dani: How should I know, I’m not the religious nut.

Eddie: How do you know?

Dani: Contrary to popular belief, if you’re a nut, you know it.

Eddie: No, how do you know “they” do rituals here?

Dani: Well, just look at it, I mean. Obvious.

Eddie: Yeah.

Dani: There’s a lot of symbolism in trees.

Eddie: (a beat) I don’t like symbolism.

Dani: You don’t like symbolism.

Eddie: Hate it.

Dani: How do you hate symbolism?

Eddie: I prefer the thing to the symbol.

Dani: That makes no sense at all. We’ve got to get your life put back together, Eddie, or whatever your name is.

Eddie: Eddie, it’s Eddie.

Dani: For now. Anyway, they found a body here the other day.

Eddie: “They” do a lot of work around here.

Dani: The police, asshole.

Eddie: Do you live here?

Dani: Under the bridge?

Eddie: Well…

Dani: Do I smell like I live here?

Eddie: I don’t, I’m not sure how a person…

Dani: I keep up, you know, with things. You’ve got a whole fantasy life going on in there, huh.

Eddie: Well, I mean, you were up in the corner…

Dani: And that’s where trolls live, right?

Eddie: I probably should get going.

Dani: On your walk to nowhere?

Eddie: Yeah.

Dani: Fine. Have you thought about floating instead?

Eddie: Did you want to tell me something about the body?

Dani: No, not really.