Steve Watkins

In the silence, I could hear the distinct sound of goats maa-ing in the barn. Lying there listening to them made me smile, too. I'd always loved goats - every one of them different from every other one, and all of them goofy and playful.

But life doesn't turn out the way you expect. Ever. - Iris from What Comes After

You OK?''Yeah,'He didn't believe me, I guess, because he put his arms around me, and we did an awkward sort of hug. We stayed like that for a couple of minutes, with the snow falling harder around us, and the early winter wind picking up, until I melted, and let my head rest on his shoulder, and closed my eyes to the beautiful, terrible world.

He tries to hand the water back, but I refuse. Jeremy's will is always stronger than anybody else's, though, and when he says he'll only drink more if I do first, I cave and drink