Backwards

He breathed his last
Inspired and expired
As the parched earth drank his life-blood
Burbling softly as a lullaby
Clutching at dirt
An unseasonal snow angel flicked by a giant
Clouding eyes winking inappropriately
As my shadow limped across the divide
The bile rose in my throat
As though in repentance
He had fallen abruptly
White-knuckled and ashen
Whatthehelljusthappened
My mind rushed to replay
Desiccated lips pursed
Traitorous eyes burning
Ears still ringing the alarm
A faint whinny from the hobbled mare beyond
Nostrils flared at the smell of cordite and burning
The pistol jerked in my hand by way of reply
I recoiled, stumbling in reverse
Seeking sanctuary in the backmost recess of my mind
A high whine passed my temple
I stood, abetting yet confronting death
Ever alert for the beginning that might be the end
Our entire selves distilled down to competing reflex actions
Anticipating…
Sweat beading
The creak of leather
Pins dropped around us like hail
As the wind span dry dust and the stunted trees shook out their cracked leaves
Senses straining to determine any meaning in the void between us
Antenna waving, sizing each other up
Each one’s gaze sliding blandly over the other
Our eyes meeting, but no electric shock of contact here
Squinting in the glare of the sun high overhead
My brother and I stood facing, static and sentinel

“The duel”