A hand, broken and twisted. This is all I see when I look back to see what tripped me. Even now, it twitches with a sickening lifeless energy. Then I see it. The thin silver wedding band proclaiming this is all that remains of Willem. Willem, the coward. Willem, my brother.

The truth begins to dawn in my dazed mind.

Willem the coward. Willem, who ran away instead of fetching the water. That’s why Momma said I had to go. “Don’t worry” she said, “They don’t come out at night!”

No! It’s all a lie! He didn’t run away. He didn’t abandon us!

I reach out and caress the hand. This must be the hand that threw me to safety in the darkness! Sarah will be happy, at least he wasn’t a coward. Poor Willem…

No! It’s all a lie! They DO come out at night!

As the tears wash the mud from my face, I stumble toward the house clutching the skins in one hand and his hand in the other.