It just says two words: “Your dead.” He didn’t even spell “you’re” right.

October 30th, 2009

Dear Dad,

You’re right. Misty Lee is definitely the villain in this story. You’ll never guess who the victim is.

Misty Lee told Will Mudgett that she still liked me and was hoping we could get back together again. That’s what she was saying when she smiled at him.

Guess how I found out. In social studies, Will Mudgett slipped me a note. I have it here. It just says two words: “Your dead.” He didn’t even spell “you’re” right. He’s the creepiest bad speller I know.

At the end of class, I showed the note to Donnie Joad, who asked Sharon King about it, who then told Donnie what Misty had said to Will. Donnie told me, all wide-eyed like he gets when he’s excited about something.

So now I’m back on Will Mudgett’s hit list. I do NOT want to get back together with Misty Lee. And I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to get back together with me.

I could tell Will Mudgett that I don’t like her, because I don’t. But he’ll probably think I’m saying that because I’m a chicken.

I could tell Misty Lee that I don’t like her, but I’m pretty sure she’d figure some way to twist that around in a way that would still mess me up. She’s smarter than I am, at least at this kind of stuff.

I think I’ll tell Donnie Joad to talk to Will Mudgett and set him straight. Tell him I have no interest in that frizzy-haired girl. Is that chickening out?

Your son,

Tom

    About

    Letter Off Dead is an actual transcript of letters sent between a 7th grade boy and his dead father. It covers the subjects of life and death, faith and doubt, fathers and sons.

    The textual transcript has been edited and presented here by Tom Llewellyn, a writer from Tacoma, Washington. The illustrations have been edited and presented by artist James Stowe, also from Tacoma. None of the content has anything to do with Tom's or James' beloved and very separate employers.

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