This world, he said. Keeps spinning and spinning around. A round ball out there in space, among other round balls, he lit a cigarette. And they say all this was created by a god, a deity. They say we were created by a higher power. Created, we live, and then we die. Right? Randy nodded his head. Orange sparks flew above them. The wood crackled. He stirred the embers with a long hickory stick.

Look at you, Randy said. Getting all philosophical.  Talk of God and creation, he opened a beer. Tomorrow we fish.

We’ll have five loaves and two fishes, both men laughed.

Yeah. Something like that, Pete drank from a canteen. And we’ll turn this water into wine.

Right.

The fire started to die down. Lanterns lit the campsite. A shooting star was seen.

Should we follow?

What? Randy asked.

The star. Maybe take us to the newborn messiah.

Nope. We’ll just end up on the other side of the Ouachita.

Their bedrolls were spread out in the tent. Lanterns were turned down.

The sun will be up soon, Pete told him. We’ll fish at day break.

A coyote howled.