Antique Bastards

5. Ruth

5: Ruth

Ariel’s classroom instructions were unambiguous. Bring something that terrifies you. I spent days with the idea. Tom kept asking if I’m ok. That I seem distracted. I suppose I have been.

Thursday morning, making coffee, the news showed the hospital closing in McKeesport. The one where I’d done so many of my clinical rotations. Empty hallways. Stri…