BY Adrianna Gordey
Thousands of elk with the massive burn scar
were visible to a string of windswept snow-dappled
biologists. A cow a spike a cow a bull a bull
rattled the recorder with their sprinting.
Betrayal was difficult; but the herd
was bountiful, beautiful elk hide grazing toast-
colored in the buttery sunshine. They got close
to trusting safety, scientists but
hazards fences splintered horns silver as coins
helicopter wings silver as buck knives hunting licenses
multiplied too quickly. Biologists did aerial rides to assess
sex age numbers to award hunters the herd, their heads.
Collared cows Judas elk took the helicopter home.
The elk’s summer field was a mosaic
untouched unburned unbloodied until
the published survey of scientific sportsmanship
trampled the cow bull calf spike the calf
on a hedge of thorns fit for a crown.
Adrianna Gordey (she/her) is a writer based in Manhattan, Kansas. When she isn't writing, Adrianna can be found daydreaming about the Atlantic ocean, assembling overly ambitious Halloween costumes, or reading young adult fiction. Her work has previously appeared in the Connecticut River Review, Passengers Journal, Touchstone Literary Magazine, and elsewhere.