“He's dead!”

              The woman's wail pierced the night.

              “We don't know that yet,” the man defended, but his ragged voice merely validated her despair. She didn't hear him, only lunged toward the gash in the earth, crying out and reaching for the body inside. Another man pulled her back, gentle in his movements, while yet another climbed out of the hole they had just dug.

              Fire exploded in the distance, crashing into the darkness. Chaos claimed the night and they sprang into action. Spurred by the silhouette of a lone lawman, the figures scrambled to gather their supplies before sprinting away.

              One stayed, paralyzed by the shock of it all. This wasn't part of his plan. He didn't deserve it. He stared at the dead body at his feet.

              “Shit.”