Little girl, bandit and the carpet.

By mid day the goose camel chase was over

The camel just stopped in the heat of nowhere

Billy reached his horse and canteen

"Dumb animals lucky we didn't end up bottom of pancake ravine."

Jumping a shot split the noon

Vultures flew up behind near dune

Billy pulled rifle out from horse saddle

Ran past camel

Climbed dune steep and sandy

Reached its ridge breathlessly

Just in time

Witness horrific crime

Below gun pointing bandit

About to shoot sleeping girl
on carpet

He shot his rifle

Hit side

Bandit fell

Billy raced down to send him to hell

Yelling in fury

About putting him out of his misery

Billy was shocked to find his prey was more skeleton than man

Skin blistered dried leathery tan

The girl lay on a red carpet

Not so bad from sun protected

Billy looked around

Trying make sense of the scene he found

Little girl, the carpet and the bandit

Tracks read bandit must have carried girl in carpet

Across this hell burning desert

No not bandit

Maybe her Dad

And I shot him

But why was he trying to shoot her

His daughter?

The vultures I bet.

Save her from a fate worse than death

The right thing not always the easy thing

Billy's heart was sinking

He wrapped the carpet around the daughter

Then gave her dad his water

The corpse eyes opening

Hand raised stopping

Dad's Voice rasping

"S-ave it —for Jane —- Bil-"

He knows me?

Billy recognized it can't be?

All Pity he recoil

O'Boyle!

Leave him for the buzzards best for all

His hatred grew

Best for Rue.