The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker cover image

Douglas Stuart Reads “The Englishman”

The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker

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I Was a Stupid Thing

I turned the page. There were no more naked boys. He sensed my hesitation. I know little game we could play. Bought him a jeep, one of those tiny, soft topped japanese ones. What an awful neon orange thing. It was just like him. Stupid thing. Was i a stupid thing? William moved his hand to the small of my back. And all i could smell was the amalphy lemons at his wrists. If it was to happen, then he would not take it from me. The blanket wrapped around his skull, and i held him tight. My thumbs found his eye sockets. I hated the sound of his grid when i was spent.

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