I picked up, slowly, the little plate of trinkets and trivial things.

I found the gleaming, old friend, waitng underneath the thumb tacks. Expectant.

It’s been years, but it’s been waiting because it knows me too well.

I drug it across the meat of my hand, right beside my thumb. I felt the skin start to break.

I became afraid.

I set it down.

Knowing, though, that I wanted to see blood again.

I won’t stop until the blood appears.