Mind Thief

I can write this.

I've done it before.

I'd sold lots of copies.

And those critics who didn't like it

were obviously just... bitter.

Time to put pen to paper.

So what if the publisher already set the release date?

No pressure. I eat that for breakfast.

That explains the indigestion.

All of it is here.

Right in front of me.

I just need to put it in the right order.

But she has a steep mountain to climb.

So the kids were supposedly...

...almost surgically implanted live...

...when in fact manipulated

into believing false memories...

...but how?

This made it impossible for the subject. What did they use?

...the kids differentiate between reality...

Such was the insidious nature of the brainwashing.

Ah.

Hey, Chris.

Uh, you left your, uh...

Chris, you left your bags out... out... outside there.

Come down here now, will you?

Word to the wise.

Harold ate a, I think it was a bad enchilada

down at, uh, Casa-- Well, you know, it wasn't bad. It wasn't a bad one.

He can't do the spicy.

I'll, um... Okay.

No time to get my panties in a bunch.

I'm gonna write myself out of this impossible corner like a...

Oh, boy, who am I kidding?

I'm caught in a labyrinth of weak metaphors and cheesy tropes.

A victim of Chapter 17.

Okay, out into all the nature and

urban residential/commercially zoned area I can muster...

and absolutely nothing can stop this pen from...

What the hell?

This is going to drive me crazy.

No more furniture from sidewalks.

This should fix it.

I am so completely blocked.

Oh, no. The publishing house will send Gina to unblock me,

painfully,

like a clogged toilet.

Hmm. Give me the good stuff.

I would never have stepped foot on that nuclear sub

if I had known you were undercover in Guatemala.

You did the right thing.

Your country needed you.

I don't know which ones to press.

-Okay, so... -Well, that's what I was pressing.

- Oh, look. It's the same bird as last time.

Next on, a very special episode of The Tears of Victory.

Gotta get out of there! Now!

It's gonna blow!

She lied about the Janus virus.

It ain't what you think it is.

- The time is 1:00 p.m. - Please flip over.

Forgot I gave you a key.

Found your notes.

Right next to the ice cream bowl.

You're spiraling. This is spiraling.

I can tell.

This is good.

The first book wasn't this hard.

I need pages.

And you're going to get them

- as soon as I... - Chapter 17.

Can't you write something else and then circle back,

like, put a real big pin in it?

It's the key to the whole structure.

Everything leads to Chapter 17

and everything springs forth from Chapter 17.

It's all on the board.

But a month of notes and no pages makes me nervous.

Makes the publishing house nervous.

Gina, I want nothing more than to sit down

and write those pages. Trust me.

Hmm. Maybe you need to break up your cycle.

Create some change, and not just for the writing,

but for you.

You need to move on.

I didn't know you had a pool.

I don't. The next complex over does.

Cheeky monkey.

That qualifies as a change.

Loitering for the purpose of sun damage is a start.

Thank you.

- I may have found some new inspiration. - Ha! Pool boy.

More like, a large man in a full business suit jumps in the pool.

-Is this in the new book? -No, no, no.

Something was thrown in the pool.

A minute later, this guy walks up,

jumps in, gets it, and leaves.

-In a suit? -Yep.

And what'd he get?

It was kind of like a cigar tin.

Nicotine is a bitch.

-How long has it been? -Mmm...

147 days and six hours, but who's counting?

Weird story, but I don't think pool man makes the cut.

Should we help?

You first.

Primitive mating ritual?

To mate with what, exactly?

Good for the glutes.

Nice heels.

I mean, the dress is ridiculous, but nice heels.

She is awfully determined.

What do you think is inside that box?

Usually you take the dead body out of the apartment.

Isn't that Psycho's old place?

-His name is Nathan. -Whatever.

So what if he fell on scissors?

You'd think you'd get over it by now.

I'm glad he's gone.

It looks like you've got strange new neighbors.

It's been two months. It's the first time I've seen anyone up there.

I didn't even see Nathan move out.

Block that psycho.

Your change starts with not taking that call.

-Nathan. -Hey, Chris.

Um, I just left a box of your stuff at your front door.

-When? -Uh, right now.

And you didn't think to knock?

Nathan!

-Hey, Chris. -Hey.

Hey, ha-ha, all the stuff should be in there.

-Feeling lonely? -Yes.

Getting me through a rough patch.

No, no. I can't take this. It's yours.

Uh, uh, it's okay.

Um...

You know, you always like playing it, and, um...

I do miss this little thing.

You wanna come in?

I... You know, I... I can't. I gotta... I gotta go.

You two need a room?

Yeah. Yes.

You know, uh, I can't... I can't keep her waiting.

How are the stitches holding up?

Uh, you know, nothing's fallen out, so.

So, who... who moved into your old place?

An old friend.

Kind of an emergency.

-You mean "spider lady with the heels"? -Who?

Just carried half the Titanic up to your place.

Okay.

I just don't get why you had to move out so quickly.

Um...

Yeah, I just needed to...

I just needed to be anywhere but here.

-I was worried. -I know.

-I'm still worried. -I know, I know.

And I... Thank you.

Okay, but I'm... I'm doing all right,

and I promise that won't happen again.

I got new meds.

-I didn't know you had old meds. -Look, Chris, I'm fine.

Well, if you're fine, then why are you still ghosting me?

Just don't worry about it. Okay?

When the time is right, I'll...

I'll tell you... Really.

Okay, but right now I have to go.

Good seeing you, Nathan. Buh-bye.

Okay. Come on. Mmm-hmm.

Stupid tree.

Hi there.

I see you've moved into my friend's old place.

I'm Chris.

Lana.

So, do you know, Nathan?

-I live just over here. -No, I don't.

My friend just moved in. I'm over on Steenbeck.

I don't think I've ever seen who lives there now.

It's my friend Walter.

He doesn't get out much.

Recently confined to a wheelchair.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Was it an accident?

He fell from a window.

That's terrible.

So many strange goings on around here.

Could fill a book.

Hello, Chris speaking.

She does know Nathan.

What the hell?

This should fix it.

Don't don't die on me.

I never got to see Wichita.

You did the right thing, honey.

Your daughter needed you.

- The time is 1:00 p.m. - Please flip over.

Pick up, pick up, pick up!

We got an update on the pool incident.

The return of Pool Man?

Nope.

-Leopard Lady. -Who?