The universe was once filled with the distant gurgle of alien voices. 

I didn't realize then how I would cry when they were gone. 

This morning, in the present day, I put my research book down and thought about moments of change. 

Pouring through the arteries and highways of my brain, I arrived at that night in the big-big house - the one we all lived in together for a while. 

I was lucky to have a window by my bed, availed to me only because our room was at the corner of the building. 

The sky was that color it is sometimes at midnight in a populated city: never quite black. Never quite dark enough to sleep, never quite light enough to not bang your knee into the thousand year old metal end table by the door. 

That night changed everything forever. 

A handful of moments did that. 

I want you to know this because I've talked to many of you and I know you're ashamed. 

I know you're alone and you hate yourself and you hate other people and shit didn't turn out the way it was supposed to. 

And you think that makes you hopeless. 

You think there are parts of yourself to hide. 

Dark blots scar your soul. 

I'm here to tell you: that's fucking awesome. 

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Next page: “The Banished Prince.”