Common Bodies

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[Gerard]

"Bye mom, I'm taking Lulu for a walk." I yelled as I shut the door.

Finally, I have escaped. Another minute of her book club ladies and I was going to lose it.

My dog's paws pattered against the streets of Newark. Suddenly she freed herself from the harness and ran ahead.

"Lu! Come." I said sternly, "Here."

She stopped abruptly, then started barking and pawing at a bag or something. I ran up to her and my jaw dropped. Not another...

This wasn't a bag, this was a boy. Blood flowing from the massacred wrists and an empty pill bottle clutched in the other.

Okay; pulse, ambulance, identification.

Taking a deep breath I followed the list, crossing each off in my head as it was happening.

This is happening.