Blinking, she looked up at the pale beams of sunlight cutting through the trees. Despite the warm glow, it was a frigid twilight. With each breath, she felt herself becoming colder and colder.

Was this death? Was this life? At the back of her mind, a tune began to play, perhaps lulling her to sleep? Or was she to dance the night away?

One coin and two sides on this solemn night.

Far, far away, she could hear the singing of sweet melodies from long ago. Hearing the call, she got up and ran towards the sounds, hoping she wouldn’t have to be alone. Louder the singing grew until it began to pound and drone as if playing from a loudspeaker.

She took one more step, and a violent crackling, popping noise flooded the area around her. Then, silence once more. She collapsed, to the ground, dead.

A deer shot in the night.

(May 2020)