by John Riley
ii
The man with the battered suitcase used the name Sam. He’d made good progress on his own, walking the length of the road for over a week now.
He followed the signs pointing to Slaughter Bridge. He reckoned on getting closer as the place name kept appearing more frequently.
There were fields of man-high corn on either side of the road. The smell hanging around hung thick, strong fertiliser, and gut-wrenching. Sam pushed on walking.
He strode out with the sun in his eyes until a cloud passed over and offered respite from screwing up his face allowing time to see the way ahead, converging to a spot on the horizon.
He could do with emptying the case, reckoned a few more down there would help, call in some more debts and cash in some karma. He pushed forward, letting his thoughts wander.
He whistled that familiar tune with Grandpa Mathis on his mind and a little bit of business they’d sorted out. Then, Sam noticed it. He picked out something dumped up ahead. He stopped and tried to see what it might be before getting back into his stride.
The stench hitting him emanated from a dead farm boy, lying crumpled at the side of the road with his eyes pecked out by scavenger crows.
Sam tipped his sunhat, offering condolences to the deceased, and pondered on a few words. In the heat of the day, Sam stared down at the lad. Must have been about 10 or 12 years of age this time.
Sam looked northward. Time to make a move. He set off without looking back at the kid. Sam didn’t see the dead body twitch and then in jerky moves bring itself up to a sitting position.
“Take me with you…” It called out. “Take me with you…”
Sam kept on walking.
It made one last try. Sam was a fair distance away so as not to hear its pleading.
“You’d be too much trouble, kid, too much trouble.”
“Haven’t you heard? No room at the inn,” indicated by raising the suitcase above his head.
When Sam was out of view, the kid slumped back down, a crumpled mess at the side of the road.
A light breeze rustled the man-high corn and made a sound like whispering. Sam crossed into Slaughter Bridge and then had second thoughts about the kid.
