Outside, the neon sign buzzed. The apostrophe still flickered.
The phrase "soft restaurant full crack" hit Jesse like a half-remembered dream. He stood outside the old diner on Mulberry Street, its neon sign buzzing "EAT" with a flickering apostrophe that made it read "EAT'." The windows were fogged with steam, and inside, the world was soft.
"You'll crack," Flo whispered. "Everyone cracks. That's the special today. Soft on the inside. Crunchy on the outside."
"I'm looking for someone," he said. His own voice sounded too loud, too sharp—like breaking glass in a library.