he grimacedremembering the Ice smeared with blood dragged  was no different at the rink than it had been on the frozen lake

sunset 

       the blood in the sunsets hue had a exotic translucent quality  REDacrylic

                                                                                    almost asif the same brush was used

it wasnt sable  stiffer  less hair count

figureskaters collided after long lazy stretching glides then sudden spirals

he heard the girls seemed unaware of each other somewhere up in their headssomewhere in flights of interior music

it made him think of runners highswhich he didnt suffered he disliked running unless he was chasing a ball or a woman  he got high swimming long distance the rhythm the breaths  flyingflying in waterunder water

a skaters throat was slashedshe knew she was in trouble she crawleddragged herself through her blood 

he didnt see her

they rushed her away

he heard the siren

he saw the blood

                  he didnt think anyone could survive losing that much blood  or so it seemed 

he didnt take his skates slung over his shoulder off

he was visiting

he left the next day and didnt hear

he heard the gunshotthe whine of the bullet over his head

the deer were coming out of the trees into the harvested cornfields to browse corn rows there left unpicked

he thought it was cheating                                      

the farmers in the bar gave him reasons

he called them excuses  You’re not from around here are you, boy?

he thought if he were boys the farmers wouldnt talk that way

a boy might be able to hand a couple their ass

boys might be able to hand them all their ass

it was early yet

dusk

he wasnt boys yet

No Im not from around here Although I can suppose its easierless work to bushwhack an animal

the bullet whined over his head

behind him he heard the thump the cry the hooves pound the snow their brittle sound on ice

it wasnt a killing shot

a light snow beganthe wind out of the west it smelled like a heavier snow was coming

he went out on the ice

he saw the blood

the bloodsmear

                he didnt think an animal could survive after losing that much blood   aggravated acrylicRED

sunsetting

ahead the iceshelf gave way to blackwater

he didnt see the deer

1355,  Sunday,  23  12. 18

2250,  Sunday,  14  6. 20