>with a swipe of your debit card, the three boxes are off to their new homes >three boxes, to three friends – the only friends you have >you know they'll take care of your rifles >you're pretty sure it's illegal to ship rifles directly to another person without going through a dealer >but what are they going to do? arrest you? >the thought brings a smile to your face, a smile without a trace of happiness >you drive back to your apartment >you grab a sheet of paper and your handgun before heading out >you start driving aimlessly at first, and then with purpose >you spend about four hours driving in silence >pull into a tiny town in the middle of a national forest >you used to stop here on vacation with your parents >back when things were happier >a long time ago >you park the car at the rear of a gas station, and shut it off >you pull out the piece of paper and open it up >it's the title to your car >or at least was your car >you sign the back of it and leave it on the dashboard with the keys >someone else's problem now >you put your handgun in your pocket and set off into the forest >there's not been much snow yet this year, so it's easy to walk through >you head deeper into the woods as the sun starts to set >as the sun disappears, the wind picks up and it starts snowing >light flurries at first, then thicker and heavier >you start shivering through your jacket >you're really not dressed for this weather >you keep heading into the woods, though >finally you reach a point where you're shivering too much to keep walking >you slump down against a tree, the trunk giving you a meager windbreak >with numb hands, you pull your handgun out of your pocket >normally in the woods of Montana you carry a gun for self-defense >you carried yours for the exact opposite purpose today >but you can't remember why anymore >everything's kinda fuzzy >maybe just a quick nap, and then you'll remember >this snow makes a nice pillow >”ANON! ANON, WAKE UP!” >the tiny girl tugs at her sleeping owner >the bitter wind and cold cut right through her dirndl dress >her tears freeze to her face as she desperately tries to wake her owner up or drag him somewhere, anywhere >she's too light, she can't move him >she screams his name again and again, but she can't wake him up >the only thing she can do is snuggle up next to him, offering what little warmth she still has to him >her breathing slows, then stills >a Luger sinks into the snow >a white blanket covers them both