2044

Sara knelt beside Joe's body, gently stroking his hair until dusk settled. A wind picked up causing a few stray strands of her hair to whisk around her pale drawn face. Lifting her eyes she stared across the fields before knowing exactly what she had to do.

Cid was asleep, but she didn't want to leave him alone up at the house much longer. She knew it was only a matter of time before people came. The crashed trucks were still smashed across the main road along with their luggage. Looking down at him, at that torn shredded wound on his chest she suddenly couldn't take it much longer. Snapping her eyes shut a horrible ache filled her as she leaned over and wrapped her arms around his cold stiffening corpse. Laying her head on his mangled chest, she clung onto this stranger for life itself. Letting out a horsed heart broken wail of a cry, she screamed before tears rolled down her face.

Her cries echoed loudly and she mourned for a man she had just met. A man who had changed her and her son's life, a man who had saved them, and a man who she had somehow fallen in love with.

An hour later once darkness had settled she finally gathered herself to sit back up. Her salty tears left tiny white trails down her face, and she felt completely exhausted. She knew there was nobody else to do it, she owed him this much.

Slowly she stood up, staring down at him before she turned. If she wanted to get back to Cid she had to get started now.

She walked the mile back to the house, checking on him. He was still fast asleep, his face bandaged and his tiny little body clutching the pillows in her bed. Walking over, she leaned over and gently kissed his head before turning and walking downstairs. The house was still in ruins, what was left of that man's body was splattered all over the walls. She knew if she intended to stay she would be at work for days cleaning up the mess. Heading for the basement she grabbed some of the old tarp she used to over some of the farm equipment and rope. Out at the barn she grabbed her shovel and spade. Putting all the stuff down beneath the prettiest tree in the yard she turned and began walking down the road in the darkness. Listening to the crickets, she hoped no animals had gotten to him yet.

Seven or so minutes later she found him exactly where she left him. The moon had come out and gave enough light to show vague shapes of the destroyed trucks on the road. Stepping over some over turned boxes she made her way out to the field where his body was. She wanted to drag him closer to the house but her own car had been acting up that month. Money had been pretty tight and she hadn't gotten the chance to take it into town. Lately whenever she needed to go to the market or do errands her and Cid would just take a taxi. She counted herself lucky that he hadn't started school just yet even though there was a bus stop about ten or so miles further down the road near old Miller's place. Leaning down she stared at him before picking up his gun. It was heavy in her hands and grease from it's metal brackets wiped on her hands. Giving a look of total disgust her face crumpled before she flung the gun as hard as she could into the field. She didn't know where it landed, but she heard the broken rustle of branches and a thud as it hit the ground.

Leaning down she braced herself before sliding her hands underneath his arms. Hooking underneath his armpits she counted to three before lifting him up. Straining her entire body she sucked in a deep breath before lifting him as much as she could. Struggling with the dead weight she bit down on her lip and began to drag him across the dirt watching his shoes make trails across the soil. Nearly loosing her grip on him, she almost lost her footing before slipping his hands around his waist. Feeling the fabric of his jacket and shirt against her hands she lugged him, stopping every few minutes to catch her breath.

It took nearly an hour to drag him to the house. By then she was sweating, exhausted, and near tears again. She was certain she had strained her arms and back and dropped him harder than she wanted onto the grass near the barn. Dropping to her own knees she swayed for a second before looking up at the moon. A silent tear rolled down her face before she let herself fall backwards onto the soft cushion of the grass right beside him and stared up at the night sky.

Devastated she began struggled to hold back tears before she turned over and stared at him. He laid there looking so peaceful. Struggling she sat up and nodded to herself.

"All right..."

Getting up she grabbed the shovel and spade and began to dig. She was used to hard work and for the moment all she had to think about was digging. As soon as the blade of the shovel dug into the soil and she threw it back over her shoulder she began to count. Over and over again she made a rhythm, listening to the sound of the shovel scraping the dirt and pebbles. Deeper and deeper the grave was made before finally she found herself filthy and about to collapse. Her muscles ached all over and her arms felt like water. The blisters on her palms had broke and were now bleeding. Wiping her hands on her jeans she walked over to Joe's body.

Unrolling the tarp she laid it out carefully like a blanket before leaning down and grabbing his body again. Barley able to lift him this time she strained before rolling his body on top of it. Feeling light headed she gave herself a second before looking down at him.

She knew this would be her last chance.

She knelt down once more and dug into his side pocket where she had put his watch. She knew by right it wasn't hers, but it was honestly all she had left to remember him by. Silently she slipped it into her own pocket before brushing back his hair one last time. It felt so soft against her fingers. Looking down she smirked.

"Thank you Joe..."

Leaning down she softly kissed his cold lips before cupping his face with her hands. Kissing him once more she stood up and folded up the sides of the tarp on each side of him. Using the rope she tied off both ends before grabbing it and dragging it to the edge. With one final push the body landed in the hole. Walking around to the other side she slid in his legs and laid it down flat. Staring down she grabbed the shovel and began to toss the dirt in. Watching the first few shovelfuls hit the plastic she felt her stomach turn. It wasn't supposed to be this way.

It wasn't fair.

A half an hour later the grave was filled. Sara's hands were raw and nearly ruined but the job was finished. Patting down the dirt she stuck the shovel into the ground and leaned against the handle.

"I guess I could say a prayer Joe...but I never knew if you believed or not. I guess all I have to say is thank you. I'll make sure Cid remembers what happened...and hopefully everything will be all right."

Not able to think of anything else to say she simply stood there staring down at the dirt before turning and looking up at her house.

"Bye Joe..."

She muttered before tossing the shovel down and heading inside.

Six weeks later

Sara sat on the toilet in the upstairs bathroom. Cid was in his room playing with his trucks. Sitting there Sara loudly sighed before snatching the small cardboard box that sat on the edge of the sink. Grabbing it she stared at the directions before lifting the tiny plastic strip.

Blue.

"Shit..."

She muttered to herself before brushing some of her hair out of her eyes.

After she had cleaned herself up she sat on the edge of the tub still holding onto the pregnancy test. There hadn't been anyone else. In fact Joe had been the first man she had slept with in almost a two years.

Remembering that night as if it was yesterday she quickly grabbed the box and shoved the test back into it. Dropping it into the waste paper basket, she bundled up some toilet paper and covered it so Cid wouldn't see, not that she thought he would even understand.

Rubbing her arms she felt goosebumps begin to break out. Walking out to her bedroom, she stopped and saw the tiny little plastic frog on her dresser. She had left it there since everything happened.

Leaning against the doorway she took a deep breath.

It wasn't the first time in her life she honestly didn't know what to do.