Chapter 74: Leaving

The cow died.

"I will get us another cow," Bilal said as he stood over the body that lay in the low grass of the pasture.

Carmella stared down at the animal, her eyes warm and stinging. Bilal reached out and took her hand.

"I don't want to replace her," he explained. "I just want us to have another cow. It's not the same as replacing her."

Raj looked at the cow curiously. "Can I examine her?" He looked up at his mother. "Are we going to eat her? She's still warm-"

"No," Carmella said sharply. "She's family. We don't eat family." Her voice softened. "But yes, you can examine her. But no blood, Raj."

"Yes Mama."

Carmella turned away before Raj's tentacles appeared. She and Bilal headed back to the house.

"How are we going to find a cow? We haven't seen a cow in the nearly three years that you've been here. And we've been all over Kentucky and Ohio-"