Page 135 of Saddles

“Motherfucker!” Doug has landed just a few feet from me in a dark sea of corn kernels.

When he rolls over, they shift beneath him like quicksand.

“Is he dead? You’re next!” He tries to stand, but his feet sink in the rolling seeds.

Like he’s trying to walk through water, every movement makes him fall deeper into the unstable grain.

The flickering light from the computer screen is the only illumination as I watch him drop lower.

I try to keep my weight spread out, motionless, but his frantic thrashing is settling me into the grain around me.

“Stay still, asshole,” I grit. “Or we’re both gonna die.”

Doug freezes, and I watch the range of emotions flicker over his features until he lands back on anger. “You’re lying,” he spits, then leaps towards me.

His fingers wrap around my wrist, hanking my arm down as his head disappears beneath the surface.

But instead of stopping, he begins to writhe and struggle, dragging us both under the heavy layers.

Kernels fill my nose and ears. Panic threatens to make me fight to rise.

I have to get him off me.

Digging into his hand with my other, I get one finger pried off and bent backwards until I feel the bone snap.

He jerks, but I can’t hear anything past my pounding heart.

When I peel the second off and try to break it, he lets go.

Every instinct in me is telling me to open my mouth and gulp.

I fight it.

I’ve almost died before. I know the peace that would await me.

I ain’t scared of dying.

But I am of leaving April alone to suffer without me.

That thought makes me cup my hand around my face and take a focused breath through my nostrils.

I still have one foot hanging precariously to the edge.

It has to be enough.

From the blood rushing into my head, I think I’m upside down.

Fuck.

The heavy thumping of my pulse gets louder as I try to raise my other leg and get a better hold.

I can’t find it.

There’s something big—

David’s body.

I want to scream in frustration.

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