09/03/2026 07:36

---

I sipped on my soda as we drove out of town and towards the mountains. You're looking for a better way to die. He had ego problems with me sometimes, but on the job there was nothing but the job. Except there was muscle and when the muscle vanished, there was bone, and finally there was nothing but dried skin over bones, and still he screamed.

My spine tried to bow with the pain, and a third set of hands pressed down on my thighs, three of them pinning me to the stone, forcing me to ride the pain and not struggle. And what is that? What is it that we do best? I asked, and I knew the anger came through in my voice. Concentrate on business. I kept walking down the steps.