The calm sounds of nature were interrupted by the loud chanting of “Fight, Fight, Fight.” Two boys circled one and other surrounded by numerous others watching. The odds seemed to be stacked against one of the fighters. He was about half the size of his opponent and the smallest among the group around him. Surprisingly he didn’t seem frightened and his fierce brown eyes never left his opponents face. Without hesitation he leaped onto the bigger boy fists swinging in a frantic effort to make contact with anything.  His insane move knocked the other fighter onto his back for a moment, after recovering from his shock the bigger guy swung at his minuscule enemy making contact with his face. The force of the swing sent him backwards and onto the ground, where he laid unmoving. The owner of the winning punch stood up and kicked the unconscious form at his feet, and mumbled the word Trash as he pushed his way through the crowd.  A few of the other boys followed their champion while others imitated him by kicking the fallen fighter as they left. Once again the birds chirping and the river running were all that could be heard.

Within a dark cave a girl sat alone in the flickering darkness. A small fire crackled in the corner causing the darkness to ripple with waves of light.  She reached out and touched the flaking paint that decorated the cave’s walls; it crumpled and peeled off onto the floor, taking the present with it. Visions of priests and holey men rushing about filled the cave with life and light. Then disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared leaving the girl alone in flickering darkness once more. She looked up through the small hole in the caves ceiling at the swirling stars in the night sky and tears dripped from her golden eyes as she quietly wept alone in the night.