The Bad-Moon Girls appear on days when Dad doesn't know…
““The Bad-Moon Girls appear on days when Dad doesn't know what he is thinking, or even if he is thinking. Those days can weigh less than air or more than an ocean. He has blank thoughts without feelings, followed by heavy feelings without thoughts. Time means nothing. A minute ticks by in the same rhythm as an entire day. He can look at one thing for an hour without moving. He can see me or Victor without knowing we are in the room, peering at us as if we are underwater, moving in warped slow motion. After the nothingness, he wades through a stagnant lake with the moon reflected in it, waiting for the daylight to rinse it away. He almost drowns while time ticks on. The sky is filled with black milk. No stars. Two days can pass before he surfaces. Dad's brain-switch, the focusing thing the rest of us switch on to make things look better, is a bit buggered. Those are his words, not mine. The Bad-Moon Girls whisper evil in Dad's ear, the sort of women who would set their own mother on fire if there were no other way to light their cigarettes. The trouble is, they can follow. Just as we were setting off to Clacton last autumn, they hunted him down.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A fragmented mental state causes time to feel distorted, emotions to swing wildly, and perception to blur, leading to overwhelming darkness and helplessness.
In simple terms: Mental illness can warp time and feeling, making life feel heavy and meaningless.
Key Takeaway
Seek support and grounding to navigate mental turbulence.
Themes
mental illness
darkness
depression
family
mood swings
ptsd
time perception
slow motion
existential dread
Mood
lonely
confused
hopeful
Type
coping:1
darkness:1
depression:1
family:1
mental illness:1
mood swings:1
ptsd:1
slow motion:1
time:1
thoughts time:1
bad moon:1
days dad:1
drowns time:1
dad brain:1
When to use this quote
- family crisis
- personal therapy
- nighttime anxiety
- creative writing
- psychological analysis
Key Concepts
psychology
trauma
cognitive distortion
emotional dysregulation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does time distortion affect daily functioning?
- What coping strategies can restore grounding?
A Different Perspective
The description may romanticize mental illness, risking stigma.