Them Bones

THE BOX XII

Smith’s Diary

They brought Lewisohn and nine of the people who went out on the mission four months ago to the edge of the clearing this morning just after dawn. Their hands were bound behind them, and they were in bad shape.

The Indians killed them by cutting their throats from behind, using their bodies for shields as they got back to cover.

We couldn’t do anything. Someone ripped off a clip, but that only made one of the Indians drop a soldier’s body.

The rest they took to cover. We don’t know what they did to them. Some of them were still thrashing and bleeding to death as they dragged them back into the woods.

At first light this morning, the body they had dropped was gone.

Everyone is in a silent rage, which is just what the Indians want.

I don’t want to write any more for a while.