“They were once human beings, now lying around as stinking piles, feeding on the flies attracted by their stench. They do not move, they do not speak. They just stink and suffer.”
The words of the old man lingered in Drove’s mind as he looked into the valley. He could already smell the stench, and a welcome committee of flies was swarming around his head.
His horse pranced. This was not good place to be.
He forced forward.
They walked in between the tall canyon walls. Soon he saw them, lying on the ground. Men who had tried to find better land, just like him. He was not afraid. He was different from them.
He rode down rocky slopes and overgrown tracks. Through rivers so dirty he had never seen the like. The smell stayed on his horse’s legs, tearing his nose. Loathing. He felt dizzy, his stomach revolted. He heard the dirt piles around him moan in agony and self disgust. Their suffering dug into his back with the evening sun.
His horse stepped in something. Drove looked down. A pile of dirt looked up on him with tortured, pleading eyes. Their eyes locked.
Drove looked away. Opened his holster. Pointed his gun to its head.
The shot went through with a splash. Brown liquid pumped out of the hole. It still looked at him. There was no judgement in its eyes. No sudden pain, just a glance of hope. On the third shot its eyes went blank. The pulsing movements in its body stopped.
Drove looked around. Tens of other piles of crap were lying around him. He had only three bullets left.
The flies were swarming around his head. He held a cloth over his face to keep them away, to alleviate the stench. Trusting his poor horse to find the way out.
One day, he thought. One day I’ll be back with more bullets.
Fictionspawn 
Yippee-ki-yay
As some
Cowboys do say
LikeLiked by 1 person
Drove won’t say it today, I think 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a horrible fate!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wouldn’t want to be in their shoes at all… If they’d still have any.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The illustration is spectacular 🤩✌
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks a lot!
LikeLike
Nice Post, 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
You are welcome
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very nice, I loved the open ending!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. It’s hard for him to leave them like this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never could imagine a story about shooting piles of crap on the ground. lol. Defiantly took me for a spin there. What inspire this story? Don’t worry I won’t judge. lol. Good job.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! Hehe, to tell you the truth I have no idea, other than once again the illustration. What inspired the illustration is a harder question. Maybe I have a dirty mind… 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dirty or not, Keep it up.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Aha! Certainly dirty, and one of your best illustrations yet… fortunately not scratch and sniff 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
That would definitely give this story a new dimension… 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Whoa, what an idea – this is definitely one of my favorite stories you’ve come up with recently. Truly haunting.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks a lot, Gorman! A rather unpleasant valley 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wow, I haven’t been to your page in a while! Your artwork is amazing recently. I think you have literally gained more talent in a short time than most people get in decades. Great!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you very much, I highly appreciate that. Good to hear from you 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wonderful illustration. Love the story, very disturbing. 😃
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks! The story kind of just came to life working with the illustration, and the illustration kind of made itself 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Brilliant! A marvelous work!
LikeLiked by 2 people