Brother's Burial

  The day was clear, not a cloud in the sky. The sun was beating down on the back of my neck as I moved bale of hay after bale of hay.I've been at this for about two hours now. Joe was out fixing the fence when I heard a loud bang.

"Son of a..."

"Now Joe, watch that mouth of yours! Think of what your mama would say."

"Oh can it Cal! I'm takin a break, I've been working out in this sun all day."

"I think I'll join you. Plus we need to talk about some things." I set down my last bale of hay and begin walking towards the house.

"It's too hot to be wasting our breath on 'some things'." Joe says as he kicks a rock out in front of him.

"I'll begin explain' when we get inside." By the time we reach the front steps my face is drenched in sweat as I wipe it away with my left arm.

We both enter the house and it's as hot as it was outside, if not hotter. I walk over to the fridge and pull out two beers. For about three minutes the air is full of silence as we both chug down the contents of the bottles. Around here, if you don't chug it when it's cold you'll sip it when it's warm, and everyone knows warm beer is a friend to no one.

"So, what's up Cal. What did you want to talk bout?" Joe breaks the air with his deep voice.

"Now, keep an open mind 'bout what I'm 'bout to say," I swat away a fly and wipe my forehead again, " we are runnin' our pockets dry, and by we I mean you."

Joe's head snaps towards me.

"Cal, don't start this right now. There is a long day ahead of us, and I don't want to spend it angry." his voice has grown sharp and short.

"We are runnin' out of money."

"And that's my fault?" Joe's face is growing red as he stands from his chair and walks over to the sink. "Have you ever thought that maybe -"

A knock on the door broke us from our stare down as Joe went to go answer it.

"Its Danny. They're ready to start the cattle herdin'." Joe called out. I had forgotten about that chore for today.

"Comin" I called back.

As we rode I examined everyone in our crew. There were many familiar faces along with faces I've never seen before. By the time we reached the cattle I knew everyone there.

"Ok men, this is how it's goin to work, I need two men on each side of the herd." I called out. As I spoke, a gush of wind came through, taking my words with it. "Joe, you're with me!"

All I got was a head nod.

Slowly everyone began riding to their spots trying not to spook the cattle, as they were already a little on edge as the wind began blowing harder, wiping the manes of the animals all over the place, as if they were the ocean.

"Joe, you might wanna loosen your stirrup. It looks a little tight."

"Whatever you say..." he replied with a glare. I watched as he leaned over and pulled on the strap, only pulling it even tighter than before. "Happy?"

As we continued to wait for everyone to set, the wind started blowing harder as dark clouds rolled in covering the clear sky. Like a crack of a whip, thunder rolled through the clearing followed by the thunderous sound of the cattle running toward the east.

"FOLLOW EM'!"

From behind us we could here a wall of rain pounding the earth as it began getting closer and closer. As more and more thunderous claps ran through the air, all the animals reared up on their hind legs, running with no control. I looked on as horse and cattle alike began bucking trying to run from the sound that blanketed us. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Joe, who was having the worse time with gaining control. His horse bucked and writhed but somehow Joe held on.

Just as it seemed to be settling down, it began to pick back up as the loudest thunderclap yet rang through the land. This time, as I watched in horror, Joe couldn't hold onto his horse as he fell to the ground. With Joe off its back the horse began running with the cattle trying to race the storm.

I searched the ground for Joe's body but I couldn't find it. Mud was being thrown everywhere as hoofs went flying. I saw his unconscious body being drug through the mud by his horse. From what I could tell his left foot was still hooked into his stirrup and he was being drug as the horse ran with the cattle.

I could only watch in horror as both the cattle and the horse trampled him. After thirty minutes of this, all the animals finally settled as did the weather, as we began searching the ground for Joe's body. A few feet away from his horse we found it laying in a disfigured form.

Danny climbed off his horse and reached down to feel if he had any warmth left in him, any life. From the solemn look on his face, Joe was gone. For an hour we stayed out there staring at what use to be the body of Joe, an unidentifiable object. Some of the crew began digging a hole to bury him, but I could only watch. As they finished the last light of day was finally settling down for the night.

The crew slowly and carefully lowered the body down into the hole. They lowered a young man named Joe into that hole. A man who loved his tools, loved his horse, and loved his family. They lowered the body of my brother.