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DRIVING THROUGH THE city had become a reflex rather than a conscious act. Nick didn’t care where he was going, his mind focused on other things while his body performed the ingrained process of getting him from Point A to Point B. Every few blocks he’d come out of his stupor, minutes gone from his consciousness, knowing his mind was focused elsewhere, but unable to recollect his train of thought. He realized he was almost home, sitting at a red light, trying to will himself to make the left turn back to the old, smoky house. Watching the time tick off the walk signal on the corner, he couldn’t help but feel it was also a countdown for him. When the light finally changed to bright green, Nick flipped off his ticking turn signal and continued forward.
The car rolled past the f
