Rainbow Snippets— Happy 4th?

For this week's snippet, I'm going back to Headphones. In the second book, Sunshine Smile, both Headphones and Scoey have negative reactions to fireworks. I wrote the original serial version of this ten years ago, but it feels relevant this week, as my neighbors have set off fireworks all week at all times of the night. I'm exhausted.  

In this scene, Scoey experiences a bad case of PTSD. His military career ended when he got caught in an attack and wounded.

...the fireworks ignited directly overhead with echoing explosions that rattled [Scoey's] bones. Each detonation pulled him apart until it was overwhelming, and he ducked his head and covered his ears with his hands. His eyes were darting, showing too much white, like a cornered animal searching for an escape. Jay caught his jerky movements out of the corner of his eye and went to Scoey, circling an arm around his waist. Something was very wrong. Encouraging Scoey to stand, Jay led him into the storeroom. He collapsed onto a broken bench, hunching forward and hugging his drawn-up legs, keening softly with each new explosion.

The original version of Headphones is available on Vella (only in the US.) Try before you buy— the first 10 episodes are free to read! 

 Or, the novelized trilogy is here

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