After Hours at Dooryard Books

One morning early in June, Patrick’s slow to get ready and Nathaniel announces that he’ll go out to get the paper by himself. It’s been over a month since the last time he tried leaving the building alone, although last week he picked up a pizza with only Hector for company.

Patrick absently takes out a dime for the paper.

“You have to be kidding me,” Nathaniel says, and sweeps out of the apartment.

When fifteen minutes pass, Patrick isn’t worried, even though the trip to the newsstand and back shouldn’t take more than half that time. After half an hour, Patrick grabs his keys and goes out. He finds Nathaniel on the corner, reading the paper.