"Hey… what do you think's going over there?"
"Dir,'' he waited until he turned his head ''shut the fuck up."
"No, really do you hear that? Sounds like… hymns? Wonder what language it is..."
"Gods damn it, Dir, I said shut up! You wanna get us hanged?"
Dir shifted his spear from hand to hand, nervous energy leaking out of him like sweat. "Come on, don't tell me you're not curious. They've rounded up all the specials, fucking freaks. I swear I saw one, mouth wide open, drooling all over himself like a sick hound. You think the rumors—"
"Dir." The other soldier turned, face white with fear, eyes darting toward the front ranks. "I am not joking. You are hearing nothing, do you understand? Nothing. You didn't see anything. You don't say anything. Not one fucking word, or we'll both end up hanging by our tongues before the sun sets. If you love breathing, Dir, just....please shut up. For once."
Dir licked his lips. "I still think it's strange."
