Excerpt of The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson

Arthur found himself staring down at the knife embedded in
his foot. There was a surreal split second before the
blood started to well up and then up it came, dark and
thick as syrup.

Arthur looked at Jake and saw that he was staring at the
knife. His expression was one of surprise, and this was
something that Arthur wondered about later too. Was Jake
surprised because he had never considered the possibility
that he might be a less than perfect shot? Did he have
that much confidence in himself, that little self-doubt?

Or was he merely surprised at how easy it was to give in
to an impulse, and carry through the thought which lay in
your mind? Simply to do whatever you wanted to do, and
damn the consequences.