“Dearest Matthew, We buried your father today. Do you know what his last words were to me? “Damn stubborn woman.”

“He shakes me."Say my name.""No.""Damn it,would you just cooperate?""I do not know that word,'cooperate.'""Obviously,"he growls."I think you make up words.""I do not make up words.""Do,too.""Do not.""Too.""Not."I laugh"Woman you make me crazed,"he mutters.We do this often.Get into childish arguments.He is stubborn,my beast.”

“Please,Talks a Lot," Jesse said persuasively. "You were his friend. You know he read the Book.He believed in the one God and his Son,Jesse. Please...I want to bury him as my people bury those they love." Tears began streaming down her cheeks again, but she wiped them away stubbornly. "Please," she repeated, "I cannot leave him to the birds.I cannot."Talks a Lot came close and murmured, "But his spirit must be allowed to soar to the new hunting ground, Walks the Fire.The people will never understand.""His spirit is already with the Father, Talks a Lot.That is what the book we read together teaches. I must do this last thing for Rides the Wind.”

“If you live each day as if it were your last, someday you'll be right. Every morning I looked in the mirror and asked myself: If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I do today? ”

“Did we make love today, Slate?”“We fucked baby. That is what you and I do. We fuck. And today we did it damn well.”

“You know what you have to do, Matthew." Darkness began to close around him, until all he could see was the head ot the deer. The deer and something beyond... "Do it Matthew," the voice whisperd. "Do it for me...”