of the room and set it beside the bed.  She sat down and carefully took his young but leathery and work-worn hand in hers.  She outlined his dirt stained fingernails with her own and her tears fell on his blanket.

     “Where are ya?  Do ya even know I’m here or are ya in Heaven already?  Do ya hear me talking to ya or are ya just layin there asleep and blank?”

     Justalynn knew there were no answers to her questions and it seemed everything about Bear was too far away to answer her.

     She stood and smoothed his growing beard out of his mouth.  It was starting to sprout out askew in places, and she knew Bear would be a little nervy for people to see him without every hair in some semblance o...

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