Redsand Canyon Hangman is comin’ down from the gallows, and I don’t have very long.

strangled by the fear, threatened by the immense weight of it all.

-i called, i called.- he assured her, uncertain if she could even hold on to understand any of it. he wanted to weep in the face of it all. to lay on her and beg her to stop, to force it all away. but the children squirmed. they too would face an awful fate if nobody tended to them as well, he was certain of this.

shh, shh, he'd coo to them, quick to scoop the children to his own side. they would find no food but at least there would be warmth and shelter.

another call, louder and (if even possible) further urgency pushed in his voice. this was dire. a horrible, terrible situation.

he could not do this alone.

he could not do any of this alone.

-stay with me, please, towhee-

signed poorly around the children at his side and he feared that she wouldn't even see it. that she wouldn't see him.

that she wouldn't see the children at his side.