In fact, often the ambient chatter only contributes to this untethered, anonymous feeling.
Choi has exclusively shared the books cover with EW, as well as an enticing excerpt.
It started with the hair.
Credit: Aaron Richter
That was a whole Tumblr hunt in and of itself.
It had to be big.
It had to be winding.
GG (illustrator); Lizzy Bromley, Simon & Schuster for Young Readers (designer)
It had to be Asian.
The background was also always going to be millennial pink, a.k.a.
The title treatment is inspired by hand-painted signs since a slight nostalgia only adds to that mood.
Continue reading for an exclusive excerpt.
Excerpt from Emergency Contact, by Mary H.K.
Choi
PENNY
When it came to perspiration, Penny had a problem.
Not that she stank of BO or anything.
Its that from March to around October she was invariably damp.
Penny scanned the crowd.
Hell really was other people.
Other than her car, Penny had no sanctuary.
Penny had to get away.
Penny got up to toss her soggy paper plate in the garbage.
There were an unseemly number of bars on either side of her a Disneyland Main Street for day drinkers.
The snack had been a bust, but the people watching was stellar.
A scrawny kid peeled off from the masses and almost ate it.
Penny reached for her phone too late.
She could never grab it in time for the good videos.
Sweat ran down her back and seeped into her underwear elastic.
The kid staggered over to the sidewalk and planted himself under a tree.
He was gulping for air, a marooned fish on dry land, and his face was blinding white.
Maybe it was heroin.
She should have worn sunblock.
Man, he was skinny enough to be a junkie, and his arms were covered in tattoos.
The kid shoved back his hair, revealing his face.
Except it wasnt a kid.
It was Judes uncle.
Hot Uncle Sam who was possibly ODing on opioids right in front of her.
She had to do something!
Oh God, she was in no state for altruism.
Penny quickly pulled her hair into a bun and grabbed a breath mint from her go bag.
Save the man from dying.
Nobody cares about your breath.
She glanced back at Sam to see if he had stirred.
He was probably in the throes of brain death now, drawing his final breaths while she was faffing.
What do I do?
What do I do?
She hoped she wouldnt drip sweat on him.
He definitely seemed dead.
And, for the record, the tattoo on his biceps wasnt a chess piece.
It was the head of a stallion with its eyes covered in a sheet.
What did it mean?
She kicked his heel gently.
They both still had on the same shoes.
SAM
It was a face he knew and couldnt place.
He stared and tried to focus.
Friend or foe?Do I owe you money?
Are you friends with Lorraine?c’mon dont be friends with Lorraine.
Sam closed his eyes again, embarrassed.
Her voice was gentle.
It was a nice voice.
Sam, are you alive?
She sounded far away.
Sam felt another kick on his foot, and he groaned.
Im Judes friend, said the shiny face with the bright red lips.
Niece, he corrected.
He nodded and tried to slide his phone out of his pocket without passing out.
He didnt want her to see him like this.
He hated the thought of anyone seeing him like this.
A Biggie lyric teased the corners of his brain.
Something about heartbeats and Sasquatch feet.
Sam, WHATS happening?
His hearing kept going in and out.
His heart was going to burst.
Im dying, dead.
I think Im having a heart attack.
He closed his eyes.
Shit, shit, shit, she said.
Sam thought it was funny how everybody greeted the three-digit number theyd called.
As if they had to ask.
Yeah, Im here with him.
Sam felt a wave of nausea.
He hoped he wouldnt have to puke in public.
Becker, he told her.
Becker, she said.
No, she said.
At least I dont think so …
He felt her cold hand on his arm.
He opened his eyes.
Sam, are you on drugs?
He shook his head.
No, no drugs.
Um … shortness of breath, cold sweats …
Stabbing pain in my chest, he said.
Stabbing pain in his chest, she repeated.
Like a knitting needle, he said.
Like a knitting needle, she repeated.
Okay, thank you.
Sam thought about how people on TV never said good-bye.
And then he wondered why people only thought about the dumbest things as they lay dying.
Sam felt Penny sit down next to him.
Sam, wake up.
I am up, he whispered.
She was staring at him intently.
Are you sure youre not on drugs?
He glared at her before realizing inappropriately that she was kind of cute when she made eye contact.
Cute enough that he was bummed out that she was watching him die on the street.
Positive, he said.
She wiped his wet brow with her T-shirt sleeve, which was already damp.
He saw a flash of bra and glanced away.
Sorry, she said.
I dont know why I did that.
Im supposed to keep talking to you until they get here.
The cogs in his mind picked up steam.
Did you call an ambulance?
As if 100 percent of knitting-needle-related incidents (imagined and otherwise) justified an emergency vehicle.
His heart hammered harder.
I cant afford an ambulance.
She stared at him for a beat, grabbed her phone, and marched away.
A thousand years later, she returned.
She crouched in front of him with her hands on his shoulders.
Though yours is an incorrect response.
Despite his stupor, Sam bristled at her word choice.
Was it incorrect to be broke?
Wait, can you do this?
She stuck her tongue straight out.
He stuck his tongue out.
Whats the thing with the tongue and heart attacks?
she yelled impatiently, as if he were deliberately keeping diagnostic information from her.
Shit, I think thats for a stroke.
She pulled out her phone and searched helplessly.
He drew his tongue back into his mouth.
Okay, she said, breathing deep.
Dont die, okay?
Promise me, she said.
venture to slow your breathing … one Mississippi … two Mississippi … Say it in your head.
He focused on breathing.
Did you eat today?
A Styrofoam drink container was thrust into his face.
The straw smelled cinnamony and was covered in red lipstick.
Its not very good, she told him.
He took a sip.
And she was right it was kind of gross.
Did you drink a lot of coffee today?
Same as every day.
Do you have radiating pain?
He shook his head.
She read off her phone.
He was Sam, it was true.
Were going to take a walk now.
He felt her grab his arm and sling it over her shoulders.
She was soaking wet, and where his sweaty bare arm met her neck it was slippery.
Im going to take you somewhere so someone can examine you, okay?
Im parked real, real close.
Okay, he said.
Fifteen minutes later, they were in front of a MedSpring Urgent Care.
The AC was blasting and Sam was soaked though otherwise calm.
He wanted badly to go home and take a nap.
Even in his peripheral vision, she seemed agitated.
Her hands were clutching the steering wheel so tight her knuckles were white.
He couldnt believe that Judes mute, macabre roommate had saved his life.
He wondered if hed have to get her a small taxidermied spider or something for her efforts.
Ill be right here, she said, staring straight ahead.
Im fine, he said.
I dont have health insurance, he admitted.
I swear to God Im fine now, he said after a moment.
I dont know what that was.
Have you had heat stroke before?
Maybe way easier than before?
He shook his head and recalled her earlier jokes about apps making apps.
She was obviously a huge nerd.
So … , she said.
Pennys dark eyes were shiny, and pink bloomed on her cheeks.
Wait, did you have a panic attack?
I dont have panic attacks.
Never in my life.
Jesus, give a girl WebMD and she starts thinking shes a physician.
You had a goddamned panic attack, she said, turning away from him again.
The sweatiness, the heart-attack feeling.
She slapped the bottom of the steering wheel with her left hand.
And you didnt eat today.
Okay, hold on.
He threw his hands up.
Why are you so angry?
Im sorry, she said, shoulders slumping.
Rage is my usual fear response.
That, he said, is a nifty quality.
I know, said Penny.
Everybody just loves it.
She groaned, rubbing her face and smearing lipstick across her chin.
He didnt know what to do about the lipstick.
Maybe hed get away with not saying anything until he got home.
Penny handed him a bottle of water.
He took it gratefully.
Okay, he had to tell her.
Youve got lipstick everywhere, he said, pointing toward her chin.
She angled the rearview and sighed again.
A green, plastic cable tie sprang out of it and onto her lap.
EDC, she said, quietly putting it back.
Everyday carry, she said.
Stuff I have on me all the time.
Go bags, for emergencies.
As in, an apocalypse go bag, go bag?
Correct, she said.
There was that incorrect, correct thing again.
But I have this on me every day.
Sam had wondered why chicks had such big bags.
Snacks are important, he said.
And you’re free to never have enough plastic cables.
Are you making fun of me?
He shook his head vehemently and took another handful of cashews.
I respect the shit out of it.
Your EDC saved my ass.
She had a small scar above her left eyebrow and he wanted to ask about it.
Maybe shed had some bizarre things go down in her life.
It would explain her whole style.
Did everything sound all underwater?
she asked after a second.
Her lips were wiped clean, and Sam noticed they looked better without that gunk on them.
When you were passing out.
Yeah, I get that.
My girlfriends pregnant, he said suddenly, startling himself.
Penny tilted her head.
Well, shes my ex.
Whoa, she breathed.
I still love her though.
She cheated on me.
The confessions wouldnt stop.
Except at no point did his vocal chords just step in line and say thank you.
Wow, she said.
Pennys fingers inched toward his.
The first one is the worst.
By a lot, she said, crunching.
Sam wasnt sure if she was talking about panic attacks or pregnant ex-girlfriends.
Not that it mattered.
