Blood’s Total Package

You are blunt and honest when you say that you never signed up for this. You signed to kill. You signed to ride with the big boys. But they never explained what's included in the package.

The blood stains deeper than the skin. It penetrates the bone. The air outside nips your skin as if teasing your conscience. Dim morning sunlight makes long shadows of the canyon walls. The ringing of ADare's scream still holds thick in the air.

The rest of the posse has all but gone. You are the only being left standing by the crippled body. A glass box of guilt seems to surround you, seems to trap you here.

Your gut twists and rolls inside. Acid rises in your throat. You bend over quickly and heave out what is left of last night's dinner.

You fall to your knees in exhaustion.

"How does no one else feel this side affect?!" you yell in demand.

The lone reply is your echo.

" Is sympathy a weakness?!" you try again.

This time you see that you have caught the attention of a vulture. The runt of a bird circles above you in temptation.

You realize someone must bury A'Dare, the poor guy. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. It could have happened to any traveler.

You dread to touch the body but it won't move on its own. Slowly, you get to your feet to start digging that hole.