lking to his own execution. He reached Cubicle Three, grabbed the edge o

of white medical tape secured an IV needle to the back of his smal

spark of hope lit up his fever-glazed eyes.

leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and buried his face in his lar

ulders. The boy reached out with his free hand and

looked at his son's face-the shape of the eyes, the curve of the jaw-it

, quiet whisper as he asked, "Father, is that her?

more's ears like a gunshot.

e curtain to make sure no one was standing outside. His body coiled

led out a heavy, tarnished silver pocket watch. He popped the lid o

the picture, then pointed toward the h

ld it until the metal dug into his skin during his worst pa

he hallway flashed behind Elmore's eyes. If she knew this boy

he child survived, she would take him. She would take Buddy and van

, Elmore lunged forward. He snatched the pock

against the mattress, and his eyes instantly filled w

ng son and stated in a cold, hard voice that the doc

t cheek. He argued in a broken voice that the doctor smelle

re's fingernails. He leaned in close and ordered Buddy to n

bed. Buddy turned his face toward the wall,

. Kendal walked in carrying a s

rame immediately moved to block the space between Kendal a

erratic movement. She let out a short breath through he

er's waist. He stared at Kendal with wide, tear-soaked eyes

sation dropped into the bottom of her stomach. A sh

nt of her had just yelled at the sick child. H

moved to the far side of the bed. She reached deep into the poc

ped an octave, turning incredibly soft and warm. She pressed the plas

ngering warmth from her pocket on the plastic wrapper. Fresh tears

a wife who thought her baby was dead. The lie he had built was burning him alive from the inside out, the flames of his own de