Oh, my gods. You've done some of my very favorite things here: started in the body, taken us into the scene with the physical, with breath and smoke, moved so lightly away from abstraction, with cupcake frosting and warm arms; grounded us. Kept it in the verbs: dig and run and fight and carry. Sweet economical sentences.

I love the way you show us the contrast between dry-leaves inner-Sammy and riotous, blooming, allergenic May. This is a Sam who celebrated birthdays with Lucifer, who is (maybe always was) an old old soul...and yet, also a Sam that breathes and eats and hears his brother's grounded logic: today is the day you were born.

Really, really beautiful; thank you so much for this gift!