Phil, this was such a great, great story. Fantastic writing, powerful buildup, great descriptions and finally a tragic ending that brought it all together. You are super talented.

On another note, the first part of the story reminded me of my daughter's rooster, Silver Wing. He chased and tormented her youngest son mercilessly until she decided it was time to eat the rooster. We were all invited to dinner and her daughter, about 7, held up a bone picked clean of meat. "Silver Wing. Mean on the outside, but so sweet on the inside," she said, licking her lips.