Ellen heard someone on her porch and immediately reached for the gun Philip had given her, before realizing it wasn’t needed any more. She opened the door expecting to see one of her neighbors. Instead Adam stood there cradling Philip in his arms.
“Help him,” he said, pushing past her into the house.
“Dear gods, what happened?”
“He fell and…” Laying Philip on her sofa, Adam looked down at him, his face a study in fear and remorse. “He is bleeding too much.”
Ellen had to agree, as the beige cushion on her sofa began to turn red. She ran to the bathroom, returning with a pile of towels. She handed one to Adam, telling him to go to the kitchen and moisten it, while she put a second one under Philip’s head, and used a third to try to staunch the flow of blood.
Adam was back seconds later,
