Dawn Patrol

144

Boone feels Dan's grip loosen, then let go; then Dan's body slides off him into the water. A slough of blood pillows around Boone's face. He pushes to the surface and sees, like a weird dream, an old Japanese man standing at the edge of the river.

A shotgun in his trembling hands.

In the distance, Boone hears yelling, sirens… but maybe it's his head playing games with him.

He crawls to the riverbank and pulls himself up.

Then he hears something else.

A woman crying.

A howl of ineffable pain.