The Barren

As she draws closer, she realizes that the bright lights are a combination of police lights and construction floods. Tragically, there appears to have been yet another accident. She slows to a crawl as she arrives at the scene ... is waved around it by a state trooper, at which point she observes a small truck spun around on the shoulder-with a tarp draped over it-and a group of men garbed in green chemical suits, their faces hidden from view just outside the light. They are huddled around something on the ground, which is obscured by their legs, something blackish and twisted, small. She slows way down as a white sheet is lowered over it and is quickly stained through with red. The program on her car's radio has broken for the top-of-the-hour news; the announcer is talking about human torsos found in the rubble of a building in Syria. It is at this instant that she recognizes the shoes of the surrounding men-shoes covered in green plastic-and nearly stops."Move along, move along," prompts the trooper-whom Beth realizes is the same one from earlier in the day. "Remember to drive safely," he adds with a wave. She faces forward again-and sees the motor home from the first accident. It is parked on the shoulder, just as before. Apparently, it was involved in this incident too. For the first time she notices the small parabolic antennae mounted atop its roof.