Dr. Chavez sauntered over to the cliff’s edge. It was the last place anyone had seen Greenwood. Mario said that he must be dead, but Dr. Chavez wanted to be thorough. Squatting down, he peered over the edge.

Ten feet below, Greenwood dangled in midair, impossibly hanging on to an exposed section of root. Without any light he appeared to be suspended over a yawning void.

Pinching some loose dirt off the ground, he sprinkled it into the wind. Muscles on the outside of his calves and the back of his thighs burned. It was time for this to end. He called down to his former friend. “Do you remember how fat you are? Your arms must be tired holding up all that bulk. There’s nowhere for you to go. Just let go.”

Greenwood’s eyes grew wide. There was a noticeable loosening of tension in the rest of his body. Dr. Chavez didn’t hear him but saw the man mouth the words ‘Thank you’ before letting go. Greenwood disappeared, loosing one sharp scream that echoed.

Standing up, Dr. Chavez dry-washed the dust off his hands.