Anders's Father, a Cigarette in His Mouth

Anders's father was waiting for him on the stoop of his house. He stood there with a cigarette in his mouth, one hand holding on to his son's sleeve. And he wept like a shudder, like an endless cough, without a sound. Reports began to emerge from around the country of people changing. The reports were at first utterly disreputable and easily disregarded - but later picked up by reliable voices as being confirmed.