A lonely procession of foot steps echoed down the street. The night had calmed down to nothing more than empty streets and somber shadows. A man staggered silently with a girl following loosely behind, her silhouette bounced obediently by his side.
“Do we have to go far?” The tone in her voice had a bratty taint and lolled in an unintelligent way.
“No.” The one solemn word came from his mouth in a labored breath.
The man’s skin had taken a pale hue. The moonlight had done it’s part but anemia took the color from his body. Thick clots of blood filled in the spaces between his toes. At first it had brought a warm comfort, but had long since turned cold and insatiably sticky.
“I’m going to need some extra scratch for all this.” The girl’s youth was apparent and the man was grateful he couldn’t see the wanton greed in her eyes.
He simply said nothing as he retrieved a wad of ratty bills from his pocket.
“So?” She asked impatiently.
He balled the loose dollars tightly and hurled them over his shoulder.
“If you’re gonna be a dick I’ll just leave!”
“I’m not going to stop you.” His voice was ragged but didn’t falter.
The man heard the young street walker’s foot steps die, her shadow ceased to keep pace with his. He didn’t stop, didn’t look back, just kept going. Blood was still pouring furiously from a deep wound in his thigh. There was no way he could afford to stop. The only comfort was the dense spot of trees just a few blocks away.
When he had made it he found a strong, healthy oak and began to dig at it’s roots.
“Is this where you want it?” The familiar bratty voice filled his ears but carried a different tone in it.
“Help me, I’m starting to get tired.” He stared at her with pleading eyes and went back to digging.
He could feel her eyes, her quizzical expression without even looking at her again. A few silences pass before she began scooping loose earth away in her track marked arms.
“What’s this all about? Are you going to bury me out here or somethin?” She let a nervous laugh slip as the hole became a trench.
“It’s for me.” He pulled the rest of the money from his pockets and tossed them to her side of the hole.
The girl reached for them but stopped when she saw they were crimson soaked. She stared at him as he dug and noticed how matted his worn jeans had become with blood.
“Oh my god are you alright?
“I will be.” His vision had already begun to fade but he felt no fear.
“ can call 911 or something.” Her voice had become shaky and panicked.
“Once this hole’s done with get yourself some help,” He said with slow breaths, “I been a bad man most my life, this is too good for me.”
They had stopped talking as they dug. One had become sad, the other finally at peace. The man slumped against the tree, he didn’t expect the young tramp to continue as he embraced death. From some deep enigmatic emotion a tear was shed for a man buried shallowly in the ground,a single bouquet of wild flowers placed obediently.
