but what is he to a warrior?
Both bulls are injured now; El Rey more so, and in that moment of white sparking on black charcoal, of hate trying to spark a fire, in that moment when their horns separate and El Toro leans back, open for a dagger to the throat - stupid, stupid - Rey runs.
How could you, how could you, how could you do this to me when it is my time to kill you, my time to pass judgement, o executioner, you are to die here and you would evade me-
Toro doesn’t realize at first. He swings his head forward and cuts only air. Adrenaline has ushered the black bull across the blood-bowl like a witch’s wind and Toro is racing after him, heaving, heart shouting you come back here, you come back, bastard, brother, beloved. Come back.
Toro slips.
The same fate that befell his cousin momentarily takes him down, brittle sandstone slamming between his ribs and he wonders, briefly, if today will take his other lung-
He struggles against the rocks and screams, screams “Come back here and die like a man, El Rey,” but no one comes, no one comes back to kill him and when he finally struggles out of the rocks and over them, there is nothing but a trail of blood, and dust on the horizon. El Toro prays that Rey dies in the sandstorm, and prays that Rey survives it, so he may kill the black bull himself.
”WILL HE BE A BULL OR A MAN?“
WILL HE PERHAPS BE A BULL WITH THE FACE OF A MAN?
OR WILL HE BE LIKE ME?
How could you, how could you, how could you do this to me when it is my time to kill you, my time to pass judgement, o executioner, you are to die here and you would evade me-
Toro doesn’t realize at first. He swings his head forward and cuts only air. Adrenaline has ushered the black bull across the blood-bowl like a witch’s wind and Toro is racing after him, heaving, heart shouting you come back here, you come back, bastard, brother, beloved. Come back.
Toro slips.
The same fate that befell his cousin momentarily takes him down, brittle sandstone slamming between his ribs and he wonders, briefly, if today will take his other lung-
He struggles against the rocks and screams, screams “Come back here and die like a man, El Rey,” but no one comes, no one comes back to kill him and when he finally struggles out of the rocks and over them, there is nothing but a trail of blood, and dust on the horizon. El Toro prays that Rey dies in the sandstorm, and prays that Rey survives it, so he may kill the black bull himself.
”WILL HE BE A BULL OR A MAN?“
WILL HE PERHAPS BE A BULL WITH THE FACE OF A MAN?
OR WILL HE BE LIKE ME?
