Beat up and cut out

The pack of blue camels fell out of Reece’s pocket as he fumbled for the keys to the front door, just at the moment Miss Harrison descended the steps into view.

He tried to catch it with his other hand, but it bounced off his closed fist carrying the bag and landed directly in front of the next door neighbour.

“Oh! Hello Reece. What’s that?”

With a look of shameful adolescence beyond his years the boy turned his head away and muttered, “They’re for my mum.”

“Of course, a young man like you wouldn’t poison himself. Would he?”

“No.”

“Did you forget your mask?”

“Oh…no, it’s right here,”

Reece pulled it out from his other pocket, more surprised with himself than anything else.

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