#Chapter 220: Two Roads Diverge

Abby It’s been two days since I submitted my statement about the footage to the police, and nothing has happened. The health department is taking their sweet time testing my food samples, and there’s nothing more that I can do other than wait. Sleep has become a rare luxury, and my appetite has all but disappeared. Not to mention the fact that the constant barrage of news coverage and social media frenzy over the “worst Alpha gathering in history” only adds to the turmoil swirling in my mind. I can’t bring myself to watch the news or scroll through the endless comments and posts dissecting every aspect of the scandal. Every time I do, it makes me feel sick. One evening, as I’m sitting on my couch wondering what to do, I make a decision. I need a break from the suffocating isolation of my apartment and the judgmental eyes of the world. The thought of a dive bar down the street that I visit somewhat regularly crosses my mind—a place where I’m sure nobody will bother me, if they can