Dan Florell

Some children spent most of the afternoon exploring along the wooded edge behind their backyard. By evening, they came inside dirty, sweaty, and excited about the small creek they had discovered. Later that night, while helping her son get ready for bed, a parent noticed a tiny dark spot attached behind the knee. kAmpE 7:CDE[ :E =@@<65 =:<6 5:CE 7C@> @FED:56 A=2J]k^Am kAm%96? :E 3642>6 4=62C :E H2D 2 E:4<]k^Am kAm%:4<D 92G6 364@>6 2? :?4C62D:?8 :DDF6 7@C 72>:=:6D H9@ DA6?5 E:>6 @FE5@@CD] r9:=5C6?

The kitchen was quiet as a mother set out plates for dinner. She called her children to the table, and within minutes they drifted in, one still holding a tablet, another asking for a different meal than what was prepared. The evening felt rushed and scattered, not quite chaotic, but not settled either. kAmp 962=E9J 9@>6 6?G:C@?>6?E :D ?@E 3F:=E 7C@> @?6 3:8 564:D:@?] xE :D D92A65 3J D>2==[ C6A62E65 C@FE:?6D E92E D92A6 9@H 49:=5C6?

The room was dark except for the glow of a phone screen. A father walked past his 14-year-old daughter’s bedroom just after midnight and noticed the light still glowing under the door. When he stepped in, she quickly flipped the phone over. She said she was just finishing a video, but her eyes looked tired and unsettled. kAmp BF:4< 8=2?46 2E E96 D4C66? D9@H65 2 DEC62> @7 9625=:?6D 23@FE 5:D2DE6CD 2?5 4@?7=:4E[ @?6 4C:D:D 27E6C 2?@E96C]k^Am kAm%9:D <:?5 @7 A2EE6C?[ @7E6?