Chapter 9

           Tyler’ssalivadidtwojobs. Thewetkissonthebackofmyhandheldtheflakesoflyewhiletheyburned. Thatwasthefirstjob. Thesecondwaslyeonlyburnswhenyoucombineitwithwater. Orsaliva. 

           "Thisisachemicalburn,"Tylersaid,"anditwillhurtmorethanyou’veeverbeenburned." 

           Youcanuselyetoopencloggeddrains. 

           Closeyoureyes. 

           Apasteoflyeandwatercanburnthroughanaluminumpan. 

           Asolutionoflyeandwaterwilldissolveawoodenspoon. 

           Combinedwithwater,lyeheatstoovertwohundreddegrees,andasitheatsitburnsintothebackofmyhand, andTylerplaceshisfingersofonehandovermyfingers,ourhandsspreadonthelapofmybloodstainedpants,andTylersaystopayattentionbecausethisisthegreatestmomentofmylife. 

           "Becauseeverythinguptonowisastory,"Tylersays,"andeverythingafternowisastory." 

           Thisisthegreatestmomentofourlife. 

           ThelyeclingingintheexactshapeofTyler’skissisabonfireorabrandingironoranatomicpilemeltdownonmyhandattheendofalong,longroadIpicturemilesawayfromme. Tylertellsmetocomebackandbewithhim. Myhandisleaving,tinyandonthehorizonattheendoftheroad. 

           Picturethefirestillburning,exceptnowit’sbeyondthehorizon. Asunset. 

           "Comebacktothepain,"Tylersays.