The Walker

Placing her hands flat just under her eyes, she looked over the field.  She blinked in the sun, and resumed.  The fertile aroma of the grass and earth wafted upward; the air was humid.  Her feet were dirty, but she did not seem to notice. Neither did she mind the sun.

The field was to her right. The trail was shaded on the left by trees, on the other side of which lay another pasture. 

The field extended up a gradual slope until it reached a high point upon which a few trees stood. A pair of crows flew from one tree to the next.  The trail on which she was traveling also ascended, though at a shallower angle.

She continued on up the trail.  She thought for a moment of the friend who had wanted to join her.  She stopped again and looked again at the summit of the field, about a quarter mile distant.

A short while later she reached the high point of the trail.  A ridge ran between the point where she stood and the small stand of trees at the top of the field.  She contemplated the continuation of the trail, sloping down to a partly-shaded stream.  Then she continued onward.

The Runner

He started; after a few minutes he reached an even rhythm.  He became aware only of his breathing, then he was aware of almost nothing. All he heard was the even mechanics of his feet striking the ground.

He reached the summit of the hill, and paused a second or two before hurdling down the opposite slope.  Nothing was audible to him now.

Near the bottom he was overwhelmed by his own speed and force, and he began to stumble.  He leaned backwards, lengthened his stride, and at last prevented himself from falling.  He slowed to a walk.  He touched his face, but the feeling was unfamiliar.  His breathing was preternaturally loud.

The Man

He sat on his haunches with an unfixed forward gaze. The blinking of his eyes was his only movement. Then he mechanically unfolded his "Diario de Mexico" and read: "Unknown Person Thrown From Bridge...After his throat had been cut, a man of unknown identity was apparently thrown from the bridge near the colonia S.  No suspects have been discovered, though authorities have been questioning residents of the colonia S. in an effort both to discover the victim's identity and to get a lead on possible suspects."

His eyes resumed their gaze.  He refolded the newspaper four times to form a dirty rectangle, resting it on his lap.