The tobacco fields flashed into his memory as he lit his second cigarette of the day. He breathed in the earthy, bitter smoke and felt the weight of the pack in his hand. He looked over the label thoughtfully, reading the name of his hometown where they had been manufactured, flipping the pocket-sized rectangular box around, and smirking to himself at the cancer warning on the opposite side. 'Guess that makes me airborne cancer' he laughed to himself darkly as he stuffed them back into his work pants, downed the remainder of his coffee, and kissed his sleeping wife goodbye for the day.
"I love you, angel," he said softly, his hand caressing the small curve of her back as she mumbled some sleepy, incoherent sweet words in return. He checked the...