Excerpt
andlt;bandgt;Oneandlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;My sophomore psych teacher, Mr. Polselli, says knowledge is crucial to understanding the workings of the human brain, but I swear to dog, I donand#8217;t want any more knowledge about this.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Every few days I see it. Sometimes itand#8217;s just a picture, like on that billboard we pass on the way to school. And other times itand#8217;s moving, like on a screen. A careening truck hits a building and explodes. Then nine body bags in the snow.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Itand#8217;s like a movie trailer with no sound, no credits. And nobody sees it but me.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8226; and#8226; and#8226;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Some days after psych class I hang around by the door of Mr. Polselliand#8217;s room for a minute, thinking that if I have a mental illness, heand#8217;s the one whoand#8217;ll be able to tell me. But every time I almost mention it, it sounds too weird to say. andlt;iandgt;So, uh, Mr. Polselli, when other people see the and#8220;turn off your cell phonesand#8221; screen in the movie theater, I see an extra five-second movie trailer. Er . . . and did I mention I see stills of it on the billboard by my house? You see Jose Cuervo, I see a truck hitting a building and everything exploding. Is that normal?andlt;/iandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;The first time was in the theater on the one holiday that our parents donand#8217;t make us workand#8212;Christmas Day. I poked my younger sister, Rowan. and#8220;Did you see that?and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;She did this eyebrow thing that basically says she thinks Iand#8217;m an idiot. and#8220;See what?and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;The explosion,and#8221; I said softly.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Youand#8217;re on drugs.and#8221; Rowan turned to our older brother, Trey, and said, and#8220;Jules is on drugs.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Trey leaned over Rowan to look at me. and#8220;Donand#8217;t do drugs,and#8221; he said seriously. and#8220;Our family has enough problems.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;I rolled my eyes and sat back in my seat as the real movie trailers started. and#8220;No kidding,and#8221; I muttered. And I reasoned with myself. The day before Iand#8217;d almost been robbed while doing a pizza delivery. Maybe I was still traumatized.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;I just wanted to forget about it all.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;But then on MLK Day this stupid vision thing decided to get personal.