"I'd never needed a 'Run Kit' before. My friendship and loyalty to The Boss had always kept me safe and I had never even considered the need to have t... run for my life someday. The Boss had always taught me to be careful about money, and I did have some savings stashed away in a few obscure places where my wife couldn't get to it, but probably not enough.My wife sure did like to spend money! She made a lot on her own, but somehow it was always my paycheck that got spent first. This was going to. It was a known fact that if the bomb was dropped anywhere near you, there was little chance to escape its wrath.The homeland air defenses were no longer attempting to stop the American bombing campaign because every drop of aviation fuel was being stockpiled to repulse the invasion that was soon to come any day. The Allies were holding back on their regular air bombings in the knowledge that the "super" bombs were the leverage that would convince the Japanese hierarchy to capitulate without. When Max had been a carpenter, he had sometimes earned ten dollars in a week but he had not held that much money in over a year. Slowly, his hand closed around the coin. He came to his feet and walked slowly and carefully along the alley towards the back of the opera house. He thought furiously. Could he really get work at the opera house? Could he still work as a carpenter, did he still have the eye and the hand of a craftsman?For ten dollars he could drink himself into oblivion for a straight. . I wouldn't give in."Bravo," The Beast said.The glass hit my hands with the force of a stampeding elephant. My arms jarred and my elbows buckled. I was sure that if I had sustained such a blow in the real world it would have vaporized my arms. But here, I had begun to understand that will power was strength.Surprisingly, the glass halted its downward journey ... I coughed and my body trembled. It felt like I was holding up the entire world.The Beast watched me coolly. "I'd like to help you.