David Guiden

Charging a Permanently Dead Battery

One percent
Been at one percent for the past twelve thousand fifty-three and a quarter days
A video will kill the phone and there are no more chargers left on this planet
A picture will have to do

This thing atop my strained neck that has matter but never mattered is quickly exhausting its last
breath
Thoughts will soon be laid to rest, feet under
Lord knows they’ve been overworked
Unsolved feelings will be released into sky like balloons for whatever occasion those rubber bags
trapping helium decided to dap the clouds for
This little mind of mine sky-dived for the last time on this trampoline called 1988 until after this

I had hoped that my third new iPhone of the year would have given me enough life to capture the
final countdown and the beginning of a life you can’t see
Happily ever after
In the words of Andre Three stacks what does forever ever forever ever look like
on that side

Here comes the spinning wheel of-

Can you do me favor? Swipe down and refresh this page. Did my life get uploaded or am I
already a distant memory in this algorithm?


David Guiden (He/Him/His) is an award-winning actor and writer based out of Chicago. Born and raised in Muncie, IN, he graduated with a BFA in Acting at Ball State University. His first-ever pieces were published in Passenger’s Journal in September 2022. Writing keeps him sane and constantly curious about how to function in this truly insane world. Catch him on Instagram @dlguiden