Popular belief has it that the universe is comprised of atoms. In reality, the universe is actually made up of…

Ashley stopped a complete stranger in his tracks, bummed a cigarette from his open pack without asking and steadied the man’s hand on the match to light it.

She had a way with men that allowed her to get away with things of that nature. Perhaps it was her sad beauty that made men want to save her though she was not in need of rescue, and made them want to be with her though she was quite happy being alone.

Her friend, Roy, apparently the only heterosexual man on the planet immune to her charms, watched and shook his head as she abandoned the cigarette man without so much as a by-your-leave.

“Nasty habit, that,” Roy said.

Ashley studied the cigarette in her hand.

“I commit what are universally known to be the Three Unforgivable Sins: murder, torture and abuse of human beings on a regular basis in order to draw a paycheck, so I’d say having a fucking cigarette every now and then is the least of my bad habits,” she smiled wanly, inhaled and let the smoke stream out of her nostrils in lazy snakes.

Perhaps, Roy thought, it was time to make some new friends.