Hill

[Placid Dingo]

"Jude," I say. Jude turns to face me, distracting him from the dandelion lying limp between his fingers.
"What?" he asks.
"Let's go walking," I say, pointing towards the base of the hill. "There's something I want to show you."
He frowns. "Um, sure."
I stand and begin walking. We climb, silently, until just over halfway.
"Go in front of me," I say. Jude stiffens, detecting a warning in my voice.
"I..."
"Go in front."
He doesn't have the will to argue, so he obeys.
"What are we seeing?" he asks.
"My girlfriend has an outside pool area ," I say. "Did you know that?"
"Huh? I, no, I didn't, that's... interesting."
"You can see it from the top, watch her swim, sunbake... enjoy company."
I can't see his face from here, but I can imagine his concerned expression, face crumpled like a paper ball.
We're barely metres from the top when Jude stumbles and crashes to the ground, desperately trying to pull himself up. He grabs at a small tuft of grass and dandelions which uproots itself in his hand.
"Maybe we should go back down..." he gibbers.
"No," I say. "Come on – It's Tuesday – Sarah will be sunbaking. I want to show you something."
I poke him in the back, and he continues to walk, the last of the path. At the top he looks over, following my finger to the pool area.
"See her?" I say. "Hard to tell; but she's pregnant."
He freezes. "Really? Wow..."
"In some cultures," I say, "Coveting another man's wife means death by stoning."
I think he understands what I'm telling him as I reach towards him. Certainly as I push his chest and force him over the edge, a look of realisation is clear on his face. He doesn't even scream, just hits the bottom with a muffled thump. I'm still shaking a little as I sit myself down, and grab a dandelion, which I pick apart in my fingers.