I went outside to investigate when I heard the sneeze.
I shone my flashlight into the old wine barrel. A shock of white hair reflected the beam back at me, and then I was looking into a pair of frightened blue eyes.
“Hell, kid,” I said as I surveyed the trespasser. The barrel had been deteriorating for two years, yet still gave off a mild pungency of sour grapes.
“You one of them?”
Nod.
Of course.
At the sound of boots like drumbeats, I glanced up the street that bordered my property. Two policemen, shrouded in body armor. I replaced the barrel’s lid.
“You! We’re looking for a vagrant. Boy, about ten.”
“Haven’t seen him.”
As the turned away, I winced at a muffled sneeze.
💡
Hi there! I’m Odin Halvorson, a librarian, independent scholar, film fanatic, fiction author, and tech enthusiast. If you like my work and want to support me, please consider becoming a paid subscriber for as little as $2.50 a month!
