He looked at the arm, then at the harness on her shoulders and back at the arm. “At first it looked so, mechanical, so artificial. But the more I look at it the more I see it as a part of you. When I first saw you without it you looked so, so incomplete. That doesn’t make any sense, does it?”

“Actually, other than the practice of taking it off and putting it on this is only the third time I have been without it and I feel somewhat like something is missing when I take it off. I don’t even like taking the hook off the end of the appliance at night. I am going to look for something like a sleeve I can pull over it to sleep.”

“Would one of the big heavy socks you dad wore when he hunted work?”

“Maybe.”

“I’ll see if I can get you one. I’ll call your uncle and have him get two pairs of big ones. I doubt if there is a hunting store here.”

She laughed. “No dad. They don’t hunt deer and rabbits here. They are civilized. They shoot people.”

“Karen, that is terrible. You shouldn’t say things like that.”

Her dad looked up, “Kimberly. It may sound terrible but it is true. If they were out hunting deer instead of shooting on a freeway Karen would still have two arms. This world is wacked up when you can shoot people but not shoot deer.”

“Dad. Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Do you think? I mean if I wanted to go hunting with you some time, do you think I could? I mean with one arm maybe I can’t hold a gun but I could go along. The one time I went out with you tracking before hunting season I really enjoyed that. Ken said it wasn’t, that girls shouldn’t be out that way. So when you asked again I said I was busy. Dad, that was one of the best times I have ever had.”

“I don’t see any reason why, I’m not sure if you could handle a gun but you can go.”

“That’s what I liked, being with my family.”

Karen: Chapter One – The Attack

Karen Chapter 27 – Morning TV Covers Karen

Karen Chapter 29 – Carol Makes a Special Appearance