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“Jack hit the floor and fired off push-ups until he thought he'd pass out. The spinning behind his eyes felt good. He'd gotten by with a half grapefruit (35 calories) at breakfast, because his mom was such an emotional wreck before driving him to the hospital. She didn't argue over the half cup of oatmeal (110 calories), which he dumped in the sink before polishing off the last of his red M&Ms, his go-to food when life got sucky.”
― Skin and Bones
― Skin and Bones
“Give me your hand," Alice said, barely a whisper.
Bones held out his hand tentatively. She took it and placed it on her heart over her left breast. So small. So delicate. She didn't move. He didn't move. Alice was his life. How could he make her his eternal?
"Kiss me," she said.
Bones let his hand linger, and then slowly slip away, not wanting her to think he was greedy. He touched her cheek, careful not to poke her in the eye. He wasn't sure what to do with his other hand, so he put it in his pocket. Classic move.
He felt stupid for worrying about his breath, knowing it was gross from the wine--and he worried Alice was about to find out how little he knew about kissing--and he wondered if she had condoms in the bag--and imagined himself unrolling one, all suave-like--and realized he was wasting the most amazing moment of his life--and wished his brain would just shut the fuck up.
Alice leaned forward. "Now."
Bones shuddered. "Okay.”
― Skin and Bones
Bones held out his hand tentatively. She took it and placed it on her heart over her left breast. So small. So delicate. She didn't move. He didn't move. Alice was his life. How could he make her his eternal?
"Kiss me," she said.
Bones let his hand linger, and then slowly slip away, not wanting her to think he was greedy. He touched her cheek, careful not to poke her in the eye. He wasn't sure what to do with his other hand, so he put it in his pocket. Classic move.
He felt stupid for worrying about his breath, knowing it was gross from the wine--and he worried Alice was about to find out how little he knew about kissing--and he wondered if she had condoms in the bag--and imagined himself unrolling one, all suave-like--and realized he was wasting the most amazing moment of his life--and wished his brain would just shut the fuck up.
Alice leaned forward. "Now."
Bones shuddered. "Okay.”
― Skin and Bones
“Explain this," Sarah said. "Anorexics think they're fat, right? Then why don't the rest of us think we're skinny?"
Lard snorted. "Cosmic injustice."
Alice looked up from braiding her hair. "Don't believe everything you think."
"I once had a shrink give me a piece of string and ask me to guess the size of my waist," Nicole said. "Then she measured me. I'd guessed my middle was fifteen inches smaller than it was."
"Does anyone really have a healthy body image?"
"Or whole society is distorted," Nicole replied.”
―
Lard snorted. "Cosmic injustice."
Alice looked up from braiding her hair. "Don't believe everything you think."
"I once had a shrink give me a piece of string and ask me to guess the size of my waist," Nicole said. "Then she measured me. I'd guessed my middle was fifteen inches smaller than it was."
"Does anyone really have a healthy body image?"
"Or whole society is distorted," Nicole replied.”
―
“Bones was lost in the sweat on her exquisitely sweating body. He was jealous of her sweat. He wanted to be her sweat. Even through the viewfinder he could see her ribcage pressing against her leotard like a musical instrument. He wanted to play her long into the night.”
― Skin and Bones
― Skin and Bones
“Can you tell me why you added weight to your gown?" Dr. Chu asked.
Another trick question.
Bones shrugged. "I wanted you to think I was gaining weight."
Dr. Chu nodded. "We need accurate records for every patient."
(Our job is to make sure you gain as much weight as possible while you're here.)
Dr. Chu leafed through Bones's file, checking off little boxes. "Since you lost weight--even with two stainless steel knives sewn into your gown, it's obvious you've been purging. Either by vomiting or--"
(We have closed-circuit cameras and hidden microphones in your room.)
"Or engaging in unauthorized exercise."
(Bingo!)
"I know this may be difficult," Dr. Chu said. "But the nutritionist and I have decided to raise your calories."
(We won't be satisfied until you resemble a scrap-fed hog.)
"Are you listening to me son?'
Bones's eyeballs hurt from so much nodding. "Yes, sir."
(Fuck you!)
"One-hundred calories isn't as bad as it sounds." Dr. Chu dropped his voice, forcing Bones to learn forward in his chair. "That's it for now.”
― Skin and Bones
Another trick question.
Bones shrugged. "I wanted you to think I was gaining weight."
Dr. Chu nodded. "We need accurate records for every patient."
(Our job is to make sure you gain as much weight as possible while you're here.)
Dr. Chu leafed through Bones's file, checking off little boxes. "Since you lost weight--even with two stainless steel knives sewn into your gown, it's obvious you've been purging. Either by vomiting or--"
(We have closed-circuit cameras and hidden microphones in your room.)
"Or engaging in unauthorized exercise."
(Bingo!)
"I know this may be difficult," Dr. Chu said. "But the nutritionist and I have decided to raise your calories."
(We won't be satisfied until you resemble a scrap-fed hog.)
"Are you listening to me son?'
Bones's eyeballs hurt from so much nodding. "Yes, sir."
(Fuck you!)
"One-hundred calories isn't as bad as it sounds." Dr. Chu dropped his voice, forcing Bones to learn forward in his chair. "That's it for now.”
― Skin and Bones
Shahan’s 2025 Year in Books
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