Juba's mind was dark, very dark, as dimness after bright sunlight in
the eyes. She spoke to him with her brows, afraid to ask out loud why
he had done this, though there could be only one reason.

"Thanks," he said, "for all of it." Then, seeing her tears, he said,
"Well, really, what did you expect?"

There was a sharp stone beneath her shoulder, and she moved against
it, so that it would cut through her pain. And, feeling the blood warm
on her skin her tears stopped, for it was the stone that had hurt her,
and not the Man.

"You act," she said with a sneer, "as I would expect a man to act."

"And you," he said, walking off with his heavy steps, "have very
kindly acted as I would expect a woman to act."

Thus it was that she opened her veins on the sharp rock. Not out of
love. Not out of sorrow. Not even out of fear. Out of pride.

THE END

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