And it was like Cassady to go in search of Death in the same way he came at Life with a manic grin and a heart full of curiosity leaving no room for fear tripping across weathered black railroad ties oozing tar in the Mexican sun kicking sparks from loose gravel flipping a sledge hammer in the air to count three and catch it by the handle his powerful frame drained by the drugs and the sleepless nights fooling himself that his indomitable will his Life Spirit could face up to Death and dog her down Calling, daring Death to come at him and wrestle in the desert in the magnificent Ratlands where the contrasts were clear good/evil life/death light/shadow energy/inertia and only Cassady and Death were party to that last episode and he was found like Thor fallen with his hammer beside him his big fists doubled-up and bloodied and a grin clenched in his face with his clouded eyes staring straight up into a sky as blue as the edge of eternity