TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT WEEK

This is picture prompt week and we're only allowed 300 words. It's not surprising that I selected this picture. I promise that in the coming weeks there will be some excerpts that are not as harrowing as these early ones have been. Thanks for sticking with me. Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. Thanks for stopping by. 

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Cary put on his sneakers and headed for the door.

“What about your lunch?”

“I’ll pick something up along the way.”

“Nothing’s open. I don’t have much as I’m a soup person. But I threw together two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Here you go.” She offered him a plastic bag.

“Great. Thank you.” He tucked it in his backpack.

“Oh, and take a water.”

“That’s okay. There’s bottled water at the hospital.”

Aunt Sue put her hand on his arm. “How is it there?”

How old was Aunt Sue? Old enough. No way would he tell her the truth. “It’s under control.”

“Oh. Good. Good luck today. Stay well.”

“I will. Stay inside.” He opened the door. His brows knitted. Under control? He’d never seen anything so out of control in his life. Even during his two years of compulsory military duty he never saw anything even close to the chaos of the pandemic. Not that his colleagues weren’t doing a good job. He was surprised no one had collapsed in the hallway yet.

Cary set his jaw and zipped his jacket against the brisk wind of the March day. It was seven fifteen. The subway would arrive in ten minutes. He increased his pace, anxious to start work on time.  He swore under his breath each time he checked his watch. The train had two minutes until he’d be late. The digital board said it would be there in five minutes.

He told himself three minutes didn’t matter. When he looked up, the train had made up time and would only be a minute behind. He took a deep breath. When he arrived, he dumped his stuff in a locker he shared with two other doctors, shoved his sandwiches in the fridge, and washed his hands.  

TUESDAY TALES
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