I'm in a mood.

It's the feeling of mild betrayal when you put off a Windows update for weeks, with the full intention of doing it eventually, but then your computer goes behind your back and restarts while you're asleep.

laughter and receding footsteps

I managed to get locked into a few tight spaces as a child. Sometimes my brothers tricked me. Often I was shoved. I got locked into a rabbit hutch, and I got locked into a closet in our garage. One time I was pushed into a locker at school by my older brother. And I usually heard, from the inside of the enclosed space, laughter and receding footsteps.

The very last time was by my father. I was half-asleep on the top bunk in a trailer, and he said to my brother, "Do you think we can fold it up, with her in it?"

They could, and they did.

-fwoop- -click-

And then I heard, muffled through layers of sleeping bag and plywood, laughter and receding footsteps.

I am inconsolable.

I don't mean to alarm anyone, but the Ring Pop that I have been saving for three whole days looks nothing, and I mean nothing, like the advertised product.