For two weeks, I carried three things with me at all times: the bookbag embroidered with my initials, my father’s engraved cigarette case, and a tiny stoppered bottle.
“I understand there’s some danger in using this?” I asked Luc when I bought it.
He raised his scarred eyebrow. “Very much. You’ll be careful?”
“Of course. I’m simply conducting an experiment. But I need to know what could happen if I do the wrong thing.”
“In the blood, it kills almost instantly, all functions and organs shutting down. Don’t get it in your eyes either, like a fool. Against the skin the reaction is milder.” He rubbed together two of his deeply stained fingertips. “You probably won’t die if you accidentally ingest a drop, but I say probably. Call a physician if that happens. And don’t mix it with vinegar.”
