Beautifully-written, painful, grim, achingly-plausible. It's a ruthless story, and I mean that as a compliment -- courageous writing, pitiless in the same way as this world you've created. Both men are so believably damaged, the indifferent world so sadly real. Yet there IS strength here, and caring despite everything, and that tiny thread of hope...well-done. An affecting story that I know will stay with me.