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"That night I could see the fire from my bedroom windows.  I slipped my In Utero CD in my Discman and made my way toward the light.  There were nearly fifty of us by the time I got there.  As I made my way into the circle I heard someone saying that she thought Kurt Cobain was a prophet and that he had died for our sins.  Then this white guy with skanky dreadlocks said that he thought it was set up to look like a suicide, but that the government wanted him dead because he had too much power.  I turned my Discman all the way up and stared away from the fire out into the ocean.  I felt a hand on my shoulder.  It was Toby.  He looked ghoulish.  His pupils were black nickels, and I couldn't tell if he recognized me.  He handed me the joint that was in his hand.  I pushed my earphones forward so I could hear him speak.

 
'You know what he said in his note?' I shook my head no.  'He quoted that song, "It is better to burn out than to fade away." That's so true man. So true.'

I pushed my earphones back.  In my ears I heard words, 'I'm not like them, but I can pretend.' I handed the joint back to Toby.  He didn't notice I hadn't taken a hit.

On the way back to my house I threw the CD as far out into the Pacific as I could."