Page 41 of Four Calling Birds

“God, you just crushed his bowels,” I brought my forearm up to my nose to try to block the odor, but there was no help for it.

Bruce looked at me and grunted. His breath came out of his nostrils in steam. It was like he was nodding at me. There was a bright red droplet going down the center of his snout. There were splashes of blood where his fur should have been bunny-white. Who knew deer could kill? I’m pretty sure that wasn’t in their job description.

Was Bruce some kind of super-stag?

Anyone who said deer were prey animals, and not predators, had clearly never met this one.

“That’ll do… Bruce," I said, vaguely quoting that one movie about a pig that herded sheep.

He came towards me with his giant antlers down, as if in some kind of kindly supplication. Like a dog, sniffing around for a hand to pet it.

Was this some kind of buck salute? Like we were suddenly comrades in arms, sharing a moment after a good kill? The bloody corpse under his giant hooves was, indeed,verydead. His hoof and antlers were coated in human blood. There was a cavity where the man’s head should have been, and his chest had collapsed, as if the bones beneath it had been bent like warped, heated steel.

“I appreciate your help,” I said, tilting my head down. “I’d pet you… but you have ticks. And I’m not into Lyme disease.”

He snorted, laughing at my joke. And like he had a million times before, he sauntered away, disappearing up into the mountain, only to reappear at the small clearing on the ridgeline to look back at me. Instead of a smug look, he regarded me from over his twitching snout and I swear… he was smiling.

I was anthropomorphizing a fucking deer.

My insanity was clearly fucking complete.

24. Holy Fuck-cicles

Lotte

WhenMackcamebackwith the four-wheeler, Taz hoisted Griff onto it with a smirk.

“Fat ass,” she teased him, as she carried his massive frame bridal style to the back end of the small vehicle.

“Not my fault you’re the size of a grasshopper,” he reached out while she secured his leg so it didn’t jostle around too much. His thumb grazed the soft side of her wrist, and they both froze for just a second. It was as if they had been paused like a movie.

Then she stepped away, giving the man a look that puzzled me. It was one of concern, and also… regret? I couldn’t tell.

I wanted to reach out and talk to her. Of course, I did. But it was too soon to smother her with my mother-hen concern.

“Mack, give me your phone,” I said, as I took the space behind him, wrapping my arms around his torso.

Mack handed it over without question. I put in my birthday, wondering if that was still his password. When it was, I wanted to fist pump with joy, but I knew that would be strange.

“Jesus, that’s brave,” Taz said from behind me. “Aren’t you scared to see who he’s sending dick pics to?”

“Taz!” Mack barked.

Not that it would be a concern since he had a flip phone. I wasn’t even sure if itcouldtake photos of dicks or anything else.

“What?” I could hear the playfulness in her tone, even if Mack couldn’t. “I’m just saying what everyone was thinking.”

“I wasn’t thinking that,” Goose said.

“I kinda was.” Griff answered, and they all chuckled.

“Jesus Christ, I regret calling you guys for help.”

“No, you don’t,” Taz sing-songed. “You loooooooooove us, Top.”

Mack responded by revving the engine and starting the vehicle down the mountain. With shaking fingers, I dialed, bringing my head down into Mack’s back to block the frigid wind. The speed of travel made the wind blow harsher, freezing me to the bone, but I knew that it was for the best. I needed to get dry and warm as soon as possible, or I’d get hyperthermia. A condition Mack was all too familiar with.

“Brett?” I said as the phone clicked on.

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