O Liu

A Delicate Freedom

His eye stung as the smoke gravitated toward his face. James rubbed his eyes until they regained focus and stopped tearing. It was a hazy, misty morning of a typical autumn day and the air around him laid heavy and saturated. He took a couple of drags from his freshly lit cigarette and then stamped it out on the bottom of his sneaker. It left an acrid taste in his mouth. James thought he would find comfort from an old habit even though he had quit years ago. All it did was increase his anxiety. He was nervous.