Deception and Devastation

The focus of this story is the devastation that is caused in an entire community when a husband and wife choose to lie and be deceitful to one another. Not only are Viv and Donald affected by their lies, their family, friends and even acquaintances feel the brunt of their actions. Although it was Viv who bought the gun that ultimately wounded an innocent man, Donald comes to realize he had just as big a part to play in what happened.

Because Viv senses her husband does not approve of Mercury, a new promising horse at the stables where she works, Viv begins lying to her husband about the amount of time and money she spends on the horse. Donald, who was suffering from grief after his father’s death, realizes perhaps he did not pay the attention to Viv that she deserved but...