mud. So fresh that I checked the bottoms of my shoes for any. There

wasn't but the floor covers were covered in different colors in various

stages of hardening mud and clay with hay and bits of grit in it.

She saw me reach into my shirt pocket for my cigarettes so she cracked

my window letting me know it was ok.

The sharp snap from the wooden match made her leg jerk slightly, but her

face didn't show any emotions what so ever. She didn't look over at me,

even when she unlocked the passenger door, her eyes stayed forward.

So I calmly smoked and waited for her to form what she had to say.

"The woman that struck her said she didn’t know what to do since she was

in the middle of the road. So she hit her anyway. She didn’t slow down.

She said she didn’t know what to do." She said in a monotone, like she

had no more energy to cry about it.

"She has to have all her food pureed before she can eat it. Her lips

hang without form and purpose it' like she's had a stroke and they just

droop off of her skull, her teeth were splintered like old wood.

I cry every time I feed her. I know I am supposed to be strong

and show support but I just get filled with pain, confusion and anger

every time I look at her."

"Do you think she'll make it?" I said, watching her jaws muscles clench

up and release in some kind of hidden rhythmic code.

She kept going like I didn’t' ask a question. "She’s lost one eye

completely, it was pushed out of its socket because

the cavity that it rested in was mashed from the impact, bursting the

eye like a ripe tomato."

I ashed my cigarette thru the window but the wind blew some of it back

into my lap, all I could think about was a busted tomato that was

leaking all over a kitchen table. Parts of its skin ripped and pulled

back to expose the wet soft under skin, the slick seeds scattered about

in the fluid.

"Half of her tongue was bitten off from the impact." She said gripping the

steering wheel so hard I thought her tendons in her hands would snap.

"The right side of her face is almost without skin. Her breathing is

labored...But she’s hanging on for her daughter's sake. She just gave

birth to her four days ago." Her jaw shuttered like she

was cold. She was shaking with anger.

She tried to calm herself down, but still, she shook ever so slightly.

Her eyes were pools of restless molten lava.

She handed me an envelope and I didn't open it to count the money, I slipped it into my coat pocket next to gun. If it was up to me I would do this one for free, but she insisted. She reached from underneath her seat and pulled out what looked like a bridle, but modified to be worn by a human.

"Here." She said, putting it in my lap. "I want you to make the bitch wear this. Make her wear this when you beat her."

I flicked my cigarette out the truck window and touched her shoulder with my gloved hand.

"Don't worry, sis." Looking into her eyes, as serious as death.

Her injuries will mirror your horses, down to the smallest detail.