That night, with their scorn still echoing in his mind, Arthur opened the shed. The faint chemical tang greeted him like an old colleague. He pulled out the tub of chlorine granules and the bottles of household bleach, lining them neatly along the patio stones.
His hands did not tremble, though his chest felt tight. He measured the doses carefully, but heavier than usual. Granules scattered across the surface, dissolving into pale ribbons that curled down into the depths.