"General Purpose"

 

I asked the clerk at the office supply store if she had anything stronger than the general purpose sealing tape that I could use. I held out my hands and showed her my heart, its broken pieces lying wet in my palms like shards of glass I'd collected from a polluted sea.

The clerk told me no, that was all they carried. She also informed me that my heart would probably break more if I tried to do anything else with it. She asked if I wanted some bubble wrap.

I told her that it didn't matter, it wasn't much use to anyone in that condition anyway, and besides, I only wanted the stronger tape to make sure that the box would stay shut.

I didn't even label the box before I put it away.