Inside the Perimeter

Grims pulled the corpse of the kid from the post, allowing it to flop to the ground. There was no dignity in death, not that the Korpskys had any dignity in life, either. Once again he heaved the body over his shoulder and made his way among the weeds and the sullen cattle to the house.

He stopped just short of the porch. He wasn't ready just yet to announce his presence, and the moment he set foot on that rickety platform, anyone inside would be on high alert. As far as the Korpskys were concerned, just being on their property was grounds for a bullet in the gut.

Grims was tempted to just dump the body on the ground and walk away, leave well enough alone. But he considered himself a better man than that, and so instead he eased the kid's body to the ground and unshouldered his rifle. A quick check of the barrel to ensure he had a round already chambered, and he was ready.

He stepped forward and with the toe of one boot kicked the step going up to the porch. Hard.

Time to get this over with.