"Professor Austin said it was a dog," The Deputy said, pushing back the hood of his parka.

"Well, the professor needs to go back to school--look at that thing--shit! Better get it over to the vet before it starts stinking up the place," The Sheriff replied.

"Too late," said The Deputy as he bent down to take a closer look. He cupped a hand over his nose, angling his head toward The Sheriff.

"Alright, zip em' up and I'll meet you back at the station in about an hour. Gonna grab lunch."

"How can you eat after 'this'?" asked The Deputy, grabbing a black cadaver bag that lay atop a small mound of the snow nearby.

"I have a stomach of steel. Besides--" The Sheriff started to say, when he noticed something move over The Deputy's shoulder."Fucken, Christ!" he yelled.

"What?" The Deputy asked, his eyebrows drawing inward. His eyes moved to the Sheriff's hand, now shaking as he reached for his weapon. He turned back to the carcass.

The scent of gunpowder filled the air as the Deputy hit the ground.