The girls are asleep on Friday night when Maxwell injures himself, a deep accidental cut to the base of his left thumb with an Exacto knife. He grabs the skin together with a washcloth, feeling himself go white. He walks into the living room where Paula reads on the couch. "I'll be back in a few minutes," he says, holding his injury behind his back, and steps outside. He almost falls, bites his teeth against nausea. Unsafe to drive. He waits only a few minutes at the bus stop three doors down. The TRAN bus descends the canyon road. Maxwell presses his wound against his chest to hold the washcloth on as he digs for his wallet, leaving a bloody stain on his t-shirt the shape and size of his heart.

.... Soon to be available as an ebook story!  Watch this space.