author-child

The bottle shook, rattling.  Pills fell against each other in the tremors, clicking on the orange-golden plastic of the container.  Their name was written on the label.  Shaking white hands fussed with the top, tugging, pressing, twisting.  It opened with a jerk, contents spilling out onto the tile floor of the bathroom. In the dark, the only light came from the street lamp outside, barely glowing orange through the window.  The boy sat still, gray eyes darting haltingly to each caplet as he counted, lips barely moving as he mouthed the numbers.  Seven, Five, Nine, Ten-- Shaggy black hair fell in front of him as he shifted onto his knees, t