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A pen

A pad of paper

A combination lock

A folded flag

A gun

A skull

A tattered brown teddy bear

There had been no tier and thirst applied their own unique pressures It had taken me many hours, or at least I had experienced the sky, denying as I walked that I understood the significance of the objects

But when I was done, when I held all seven objects in weary fingers, I knew

Meain beheld the beautiful Pacific, the waves gentling now as the sun turned all the world pink and orange and gold

“I won the game,” I said

“Yes,” Messenger said “You were free to go You did not”

I shook er told it to me as if it was a story I had nev

er heard

“I told you that you had won That you were free to go on And you said, ‘No’ That you did not deserve to walk free That you deserved to be punished”