I had to drive practically the length of the Island to get home, and by the time I got to the house I was thoroughly chilled. I parked the Jeep and looked around for Nameless. He wasn't in sight, and he didn't come when I called. Probably out terrorizing the lizards that lived in the bushes. I got my copy of Look Homeward, Angel out of the passenger seat and started inside. There was a food bowl by the front door with a few Tender Vittles still in it, so I supposed that Dino had been there. I went in and lit the gas heaters in the bedroom and bathroom. Then I checked my face in the bathroom mirror. The cut wasn't deep, and it looked worse than it was. I found a little pair of fingernail scissors, cut off the flap of skin and put some alcohol on the place. I had to grit my teeth to keep from yelling. Then I covered it with a bandage and took a couple of ibuprofen for my headache. The sliver of concrete had cut a little place on my ear, but it didn't need a bandage. I looked at my knee through the rip in my jeans. The skin was abraded but not broken, and I decided against alcohol. I'd had enough pain for one night.
