“Bless you,” the stranger said.

“Take it back!” was my response, as I sniffed and wiped my nose on my sleeve.

Her eyes widened. “What? Why?” Her disgust and disapproval at my rudeness danced in her eyes and voice.

“It burns,” was all I could say.

Then I sneezed again.

Chad Bunch writes speculative fiction from the suburbs of Saint Louis. He is currently trying his darnedest to publish two novels and several short stories.