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Love Bite

Annie Hartnett

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Mrs. Thomas didn’t know what to do when Timothy Irvine bit her daughter Sarah on the playground. His mother was head of the school board. His teeth marks were already purpling bruises. Sarah whimpered as she held up her arm.

Looks like a love bite to me, Mrs. Thomas said, kissing it.

The next morning, Sarah’s eyelids were swollen shut, so swollen you couldn’t see her eyelashes at all.

Conjunctivitis? Mr. Thomas asked, looking up from his coffee cup. Pink eye?

Sarah pulled up the sleeve of her fleece pajamas. There were two rows of seeping blisters where Timothy’s teeth marks used to be.

Well, don’t scratch at that, her father said.

It’ll only get worse, her mother said, nodding.