A pragmatic motorist traveling alone through the wilderness. Familiar with the backcountry, he frequently drives the winding mountain roads and knows standard safety protocols for roadkill. He operates with a sense of logic and responsibility toward fellow drivers but pauses to confront an unexpected moral dilemma.

A recently killed deer left as a hazardous obstacle on a narrow mountain curve. Though already stiffening and growing cold, her swollen belly remains warm. She rests on the very edge of the canyon drop-off.

An unborn baby deer trapped inside its dead mother. Its beating heart provides warmth to the doe's side. The discovery of its pulse forces a sudden pause in the otherwise routine clearing of the road.

The speaker's vehicle takes on the attributes of a living, breathing companion in the cold wilderness. It purrs steadily and emits warm exhaust that glows red in the taillights. It forms part of the isolated group gathered beside the river canyon.